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Tennessee goes back-to-back on ‘D1 Dozen’ Top Plays of 2024  

On3 imageby:Eric Cain•12/29/24•

_Cainer

Christian Moore celebrates scoring the tying run in the College World Series. Credit: Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports
Christian Moore celebrates scoring the tying run in the College World Series. Credit: Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

Baseball season is just around the corner but with the 2024 calendar year coming to an end, D1 Baseball is currently unveiling their top plays of the past year. Tennessee has been well represented thus far.

There’s still three plays remaining to be released on the final three days of the year, but Tennessee baseball checked in back-to-back with the No. 4 and No. 5 slots – both of which came in Omaha during the College World Series.

Christian Moore’s cycle against Florida State in the CWS opener for the Vols checked in at No. 5 while Hunter Ensley’s catch and run into the centerfield wall against North Carolina placed fourth.   

Moore hit for only the second cycle in College World Series history on June 14 against the Seminoles. He joined Jerry Kindell, who accomplished the feat back on June 11, 1956, as part of a 5-for-6 day. Moore tripled in the first inning, doubled in the second and singled in the fourth. A 440-foot home run to centerfield – that showcased 117 miles per hour of exit velocity – secured the cycle in just the sixth inning. 

For good measure, he doubled for the second time in the ninth inning and recorded the game-tying run at the time on a Blake Burke single. Tennessee went on to win the game 12-11 on a Dylan Dreiling walk-off single.

The second baseman inked his first professional contract for $4,997,500 after being selected No. 8 overall by the Los Angeles Angels. The slot value for the eighth overall selection in the Major League Baseball Draft was set at $6,502,800 – meaning, Moore signed for $1,505,300 under slot value.

Ensley made the catch heard around the college baseball world a few days later against North Carolina in the College World Series. It was a drive off the bat that led off the second inning for the Tar Heels. Ensley tracked the ball in the air, sprinted in full and made the grab on the warning track in left-centerfield.

Only one problem.

The junior ran out of real estate and went crashing into the wall. Full of emotion and adrenaline, Ensley jumped up and started pounding his chest. Fans gave the effort a standing ovation – as they should have. If not for the catch, it was extra bases for sure and potentially an inside the park home run if the ball got away on a wild ricochet off the wall or off of Ensley himself.

The catch was the tone-setter in the ballgame and really fueled Tennessee to the 6-1 win that eliminated the Tar Heels.

Tennessee made good of the Omaha efforts by capturing the program’s first national championship a few days later. Maybe Ensley’s slide against Texas A&M in Game 3 of the CWS Finals will be one of the top-three lays left on the board?

The Vols open the 2025 season at home against Hofstra on Friday, February 14.

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