Defending champion Tennessee beats Wake Forest to advance

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Manny Marin hit a two-out, three-run home run, and Andrew Fischer followed with a two-run shot in a seven-run third inning as No. 14 overall seed and defending champion Tennessee spotted Wake Forest two runs before winning the Knoxville Regional 11-5 on Monday night.

The Volunteers (46-17) travel to play No. 3 seed Arkansas (46-13) in a best-of-3 super regional with a berth in the College World Series on the line.

Luke Costello had a one-out single off Tennessee starter AJ Russell in the second and Matt Conte hit a two-out home run to give the Demon Deacons a 2-0 lead.

Wake Forest reliever Zach Johnston (2-2), who allowed just one run after entering in the third inning with the bases loaded and no outs, walked two in the fourth and left after allowing an RBI single to Reese Chapman that tied it at 2-all.

Duncan Marsten entered and threw a wild first pitch to allow the go-ahead run to score. Levi Clark was hit by a pitch for the second time to put two runners on before Marin homered to right-center field from the ninth spot in the order. Fischer followed a single by Gavin Kilen with a shot to right for an 8-2 lead.

Matt Scannell answered with a two-run shot to left-center in the fifth and Austin Hawkes singled in a run in the sixth to make it 8-5.

Dean Curley singled in a pair in the Tennessee seventh and Kilen had an RBI double in the eighth to cap the scoring.

Brayden Krenzel (3-0) got the win, and Liam Doyle got the final seven outs for his first save.

Tennessee is aiming for an eighth appearance in the College World Series after winning it for the first time last season. The Vols were runners-up in 1951.

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