KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Carter Putz hit a two-run home run in the first inning, Notre Dame matched its season-high with four home runs, and the Fighting Irish beat No. 1 seed Tennessee 8-6 on Friday night in the opener of the Knoxville Super Regional.
This super regional pitted college baseball's winningest programs since the start of the 2020 season by winning percentage with the Vols first and Notre Dame second.
Notre Dame moved a win away from advancing to the College World Series by scoring every run off a home run against the nation's best home-run hitting team. The Irish ranked 78th nationally with 68 home runs.
Jared Miller made it 3-0 with a home run in the second in his first at-bat this postseason after playing only defense during the regional.
Jack Zyska put Notre Dame up 5-0 with a two-run home run in the third as Tennessee pitcher Blade Tidwell matched the three home runs he allowed through 36 innings this season. Notre Dame kept slugging, and Jack Brannigan's three-run home run gave the Irish an 8-1 lead for the biggest deficit Tennessee has faced this season.
This was the Vols' first loss in seven games in the super regionals and first in Knoxville after 12 consecutive NCAA postseason wins.
Centerfielder Drew Gilbert was ejected in the fifth for criticizing a strike with pitching coach Frank Anderson tossed for running on the field with Coach Tony Vitello. That means both Gilbert, Tennessee's clean-up hitter, and Anderson will miss Game 2 today.
Trey Lipscomb and Jorel Ortega each hit home runs for the Vols, who came in leading the nation with 150 home runs. Lipscomb's two-run double in the seventh pulled the Vols within 8-5. Jordan Beck added a home run in the ninth.
GREENVILLE REGIONAL
EAST CAROLINA 13,
TEXAS 7
GREENVILLE, N.C. -- Bryson Worrell had four hits for the second consecutive game and East Carolina used a five-run eighth inning to beat Texas.
East Carolina (46-19), looking to reach its first College World Series, played in front of its largest crowd (5,723) at Clark-LeClair Stadium. The Pirates are now 2-12 in their seven super-regional appearances.
Alec Makarewicz highlighted the eighth inning. He made a diving stop with a runner on third for the third out and he led off the bottom half with a fortunate home run to give ECU a 9-7 lead. His long shot to left-center field appeared to be caught by Douglas Hodo III, but it popped out of his glove and went over the wall. Jacob Jenkins-Cowart added a two-run double later in the inning.
Worrell went 4 for 5 with a home run, 2 RBI and four runs scored to reach 11 hits and five home runs in five games of the NCAA Tournament. Jenkins-Cowart added four RBI and Jacob Starling had three.
ECU starter C.J. Mayhue (6-1) struck out nine in five innings while allowing four earned runs, and Zach Agnos picked up his third save.
Murphy Stehly opened the scoring for Texas (45-20) with a two-run home run in the top of the first. ECU answered with three in the bottom of the frame. Stehly added his 19th home run in the sixth. Hodo and Ivan Melendez also homered.
BLACKSBURG REGIONAL
OKLAHOMA 5,
VIRGINIA TECH 4
BLACKSBURG, Va. -- Kendall Pettis had two RBI singles, Jake Bennett struck out eight in seven innings and Oklahoma held off Virginia Tech.
The best-of-three series continues today with Oklahoma (41-21) seeking its 11th College World Series appearance, and first since 2010.
Bennett won his ninth game of the season and Trevin Michael picked up his 10th save. Michael struck out the side in the eighth and made it four consecutive strikeouts in the ninth before getting some help on the final out when John Spikerman made a diving catch in right.
Brett Squires hit a two-out RBI single in the sixth and later scored from first on Pettis' single to give Oklahoma 5-0 lead.
Carson Jones and Jack Hurley each hit a two-run home run in back-to-back innings to get Virginia Tech (44-13) within 5-4 in the seventh.
Virginia Tech starter Griffin Green (7-2) hit the first two batters of the second inning and was pulled before Oklahoma scored two runs for a 3-0 lead.
East Carolina pitcher C.J. Mayhue celebrates after striking out Texas's Dylan Campbell during the fifth inning of an NCAA college super regional baseball game Friday, June 10, 2022, in Greenville, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
East Carolina's Jacob Starling rounds the bases after a two-run home run off Texas pitcher Pete Hansen during the fourth inning of an NCAA college super regional baseball game Friday, June 10, 2022, in Greenville, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
East Carolina pitcher C.J. Mayhue throws against Texas during the first inning of an NCAA college super regional baseball game Friday, June 10, 2022, in Greenville, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
Texas right fielder Murphy Stehly watches a home run by East Carolina's Bryson Worrell during the fifth inning of an NCAA college super regional baseball game Friday, June 10, 2022, in Greenville, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
East Carolina's Bryson Worrell celebrates at the dugout after a home run against Texas during the fifth inning of an NCAA college super regional baseball game Friday, June 10, 2022, in Greenville, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)