Gavin Grahovac blasts leadoff home run in Game 1 of CWS Finals vs. Tennessee
Texas A&M freshman Gavin Grahovac wasted little time in kicking off Saturday’s CWS Finals matchup with Tennessee in grand fashion. The freshman blasted a solo shot to the opposite field in the first at bat of the game, giving Texas A&M a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning.
It’s the first leadoff home run in the College World Series since 2003. And Gavin Grahovac blasted his second home run of the year off of Tennessee pitcher Chris Stamos.
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Texas A&M tacked on another run before the inning ended. Caden Sorrell slapped in a run with an RBI single. They put up several more runs in the next few innings. And the Aggies had a 7-2 lead in the bottom of the fourth.
Tennessee’s Kavares Tears made a spectacular catch at the warning track in the bottom of the fourth inning, casually diving to catch a ball, while lowering his glove. But the Aggies would prevail 9-5 on Saturday night, winning Game 1 of the CWS Final. They’re only one win away from bringing home the 2024 National Championship.
Grahovac earned SEC Freshman of the Year honors this year, dominating in his debut season for the Aggies. He entered the game with a .308 batting average and 22 home runs, a Texas A&M program record for freshmen. The previous record was set by Jace LaViolette in 2023.
Texas A&M currently sits with a 53-13 overall record. They’re the No. 3 overall seed in this year’s NCAA Tournament. They punched their tickets to the CWS Finals after they defeated the Florida Gators twice in Omaha, along with the Kentucky Wildcats. The Aggies have yet to lose a game in the College World Series, currently boasting a 3-0 record. After they defeated the Gators a second time, the A&M pitching staff had 680 strikeouts on the year, a new program record.
Tennessee currently sits with a 58-13 overall record. They’ve been one of the most dominant teams in college baseball this year and there’s a reason they had the No. 1 overall national seed coming into this year’s NCAA Tournament. They’ve gone 3-1 overall during their time in Omaha. They squeaked past FSU 12-11 in one game, handled UNC 6-1, and defeated the ‘Noles again 7-2. It’s the first time since 1951 that Tennessee has advanced to the CWS Final.