National media outlet makes bold prediction for Tennessee Baseball in Super Regional
The Tennessee Vols are set to take on Southern Mississippi in a Super Regional showdown that starts on Saturday in Hattiesburg. Southern Miss was chosen to host the Super Regional despite the Vols' tougher schedule. A year ago, Tennessee hosted a Super Regional against Notre Dame. The Vols dropped the three-game series two to one, […]
The Tennessee Vols are set to take on Southern Mississippi in a Super Regional showdown that starts on Saturday in Hattiesburg.
Southern Miss was chosen to host the Super Regional despite the Vols' tougher schedule.
A year ago, Tennessee hosted a Super Regional against Notre Dame. The Vols dropped the three-game series two to one, ending Tennessee's College World Series dreams.
This time around, the path should be a bit easier for the Vols even though they'll be playing on the road. Southern Miss is a good team — every team at this point is good — but Tennessee's pitching should be able to carry the Vols through the weekend.
In fact, that's pretty much what 247Sports is expecting to happen. They have the Vols winning the series in two games.
From 247Sports: Controversy here, as the NCAA gave Southern Miss the nod as the host team over Tennessee. In classic NCAA fashion, there isn't going to be much if any transparency regarding the choice.
Regardless, Tennessee has found its rhythm and should be the heavy favorite here. Southern Miss eked past Penn in the Auburn Regional after losing its opening game. The Volunteers, meanwhile, went on the road to win the Clemson Regional, quieting concerns about their ability to win away from home.
This will be a great environment in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and Tanner Hall will be a tough guy for Tennessee to hit in the first game. The bet here, however, is that the Vols will find a way to do so and that their own pitching will more than measure up. Chase Burns has revitalized his season as an ace out of the bullpen and gives coach Tony Vitello a great, versatile weapon on the mound.
Prediction: Tennessee in 2
The 2023 regular season didn't go quite as planned for Tennessee — it took a while for the Vols to find their rhythm — but all of their goals are still attainable. And a trip to Hattiesburg to take on Southern Miss is all that stands between Tennessee and their second trip to Omaha in the last three seasons.
Featured image via Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK
