Blake Burke went 3-for-5 with a home run and two RBIs as No. 1 seed Tennessee eliminated eighth-seeded Florida State 7-2 in Omaha, Neb., on Wednesday to advance to the College World Series finals starting Saturday.
Christian Moore and Billy Amick each added two hits, two runs and an RBI for the Volunteers (58-12), who will face Texas A&M or Florida for a title.
Tennessee starter Zander Sechrist (5-1) went 6 1/3 innings, allowing two runs and five hits. He walked one and struck out three. Kirby Connell and Nate Snead blanked the Seminoles (49-17) the rest of the way.
With the victory, Tennessee became the first No. 1 national seed in 15 years to reach the CWS finals.
John Abraham (5-2) started for Florida State and lasted just one-third of an inning, giving up three runs (two earned) and two hits. He walked two and didn’t record a strikeout. Brennen Oxford and Joe Charles combined for 7 2/3 innings of three-run ball out of the bullpen. Conner Whittaker gave up a solo homer to Burke in the ninth with a solo homer.
Max Williams had two hits, and Daniel Cantu and Alex Lodise each went deep for the Seminoles.
Hunter Ensley had an RBI single as part of a three-run first for the Volunteers, who never looked back after taking the early lead. Burke singled home a run in the second in the second and Moore tripled home another in the fourth, putting Tennessee up 5-0.
After the Volunteers pushed their advantage to 6-0 in the top of the seventh, Cantu and Lodise hit back-to-back solo shots in the home half of the frame.
–Field Level Media