KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee showed why it is the heavy favorite to win the College World Series when it faced Indiana on Saturday night. Despite being the designated visiting team in their home stadium, Tennessee gave their fans plenty to cheer about as they continued their march toward a regional title by thrashing Indiana 12-6.
Tennessee (52-11) made Indiana (33-25-1) ace Connor Foley look like he was throwing batting practice, scoring eight runs in just 2.1 innings against the flame-throwing sophomore. Of Foley’s 91 pitches, 47 were balls: he walked seven, the most of his career. Foley stranded a two-out walk in the first inning, but the Volunteers responded by sending 12 batters to the plate in the second stanza, taking a 4-0 lead with a pair of home runs. They left the bases loaded but chased Foley in the third after three walks and a hit.
“That’s not the first time Connor has given up some free bases,” Indiana head coach Jeff Mercer said after the game. “He kept his composure well and was competitive, he just had to develop more skills since he is new to pitching.”
In high school, Foley was primarily a football player and third baseman. He was a relief pitcher for Indiana in 2023 and this is his first season as a starting pitcher.
Left-hander Ryan Kraft came out of the bullpen and struck out Tennessee first baseman Blake Burke with the second out of the inning. Indiana pitchers have struggled to finish innings all season, and the trend continued at the most inopportune moment, when third baseman Billy Amick hit the first pitch he saw into the tent-covered seats in left field.
Although far from perfect, Tennessee starting pitcher Drew Beam worked solidly for 3.2 innings, allowing four runs on four hits and striking out five Indiana batters. Outfielder Devin Taylor got the Hoosiers on the board with a three-run homer in the bottom of the third and designated hitter Carter Mathison added an RBI double in the fourth.
Those Indiana runs probably seemed like drops in the bucket to Beam after the flurry of runs scored by the Volunteers. They led 12-4 midway through the game and scored in every inning between the second and fifth.
Needing to save its pitching for an elimination game against the University of Southern Mississippi on Sunday, Indiana turned to right-handers Ethan Phillips and Ty Rybarczyk for lower-leverage innings against Tennessee after the game was largely decided.
Tennessee’s bullpen ended any hope of an Indiana comeback, closing out the Volunteer victory with 5.1 two-run innings from three different arms. The local favorites now take control to advance to the Super Regionals.
“We’re in do-or-die mode now,” Mercer said.
Indiana will face Southern Miss in an elimination game Sunday at noon with the winner advancing to the regional final. If they beat Southern Miss, the Hoosiers will need to defeat Tennessee twice to advance to the Super Regional.
The Hoosiers defeated the Golden Eagles, 10-4, on Friday, but they won’t find things as easy the second time around: Southern Miss has used three pitchers in its first two games of the NCAA Tournament, while Indiana has used six. Southern Miss is therefore best positioned to win what could become a war of attrition on the mound.
Follow journalists Matt Press (@MattPress23) and Nick Rodecap (@nickrodecap) for updates throughout the Indiana baseball season.
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