Blake Burke addresses controversial check swing vs. Florida State: 'I didn't go'

In the ninth inning of Friday’s College World Series nightcap, Tennessee found itself trailing Florida State by three runs. The Volunteers got one back on a sacrifice fly, but got runners on second and third with two outs when Blake Burke stepped to the plate.

Burke got the count to 2-2, but a crucial call followed on the fifth pitch. He checked his swing, and the third-base umpire ruled he didn’t go all the way around. Two pitches later, he hit a two-run single to tie the game and eventually set up the game-winning hit from Dylan Dreiling to seal Tennessee’s 12-11 victory and avoid the CWS upset.

Try Fubo for FREE today and don’t miss any of the action!

The check swing call loomed large since the game would’ve been over if it went the other way. After the game, Burke addressed the play and said he didn’t think he went, either.

This check swing would have ended the game had it been called a strike and Florida State would have won. Instead, two batters later, Tennessee walks off.

Swing or no swing? #MCWS pic.twitter.com/Lrpqb2mN9A

— Don Thomas (@REALDonThomas) June 15, 2024

“It was a check swing, and I didn’t go,” Burke said. “I kept battling after that. I just kept battling, kept battling and that was the result.”

After Burke’s game-tying hit, Billy Amick advanced him to second. Dreiling then played the hero with a double to the left-center field gap to seal Tennessee’s 12-11 victory and help the No. 1-seeded Volunteers avoid the losers’ bracket.

The discussion after the game was about the check swing call, which analyst Kyle Peterson called a “50-50” call on the broadcast, but it also added another layer to an otherwise exciting game. Florida State scored six runs against Tennessee in the third inning, but the Vols kept chipping away before scoring four times in the ninth inning to come away with the win.

Of course, there was also some history. Tennessee second baseman Christian Moore had a monster day with a 5-for-6 showing and just the second cycle in College World Series history. He also had a big hit in the ninth inning, knocking a double to left field to set up Blake Burke’s big hit.

Now, Tennessee is heading to the winners bracket, where the Vols will take on North Carolina Sunday night. As for the Seminoles, they’re on the losers’ side and will square off against ACC foe Virginia to get things started Sunday afternoon.

The College World Series format features two brackets in a double-elimination format starting Friday and Saturday. Then, the final two teams will square off in a best-of-three series starting June 22.