from www.goheels.com:
OMAHA, Neb. – Drew Beam pitched five effective innings and Kavares Tears hit a three-run homer, helping No. 1 seed Tennessee defeat No. 4 North Carolina, 6-1, at the 2024 College World Series on Sunday.
With the loss, UNC (48-15) falls to the loser’s bracket and will face Florida State in an elimination game on Tuesday at 2 p.m. EST. Tennessee (57-12) will have two days off before Wednesday, when it will face the winner of the game between the Tar Heels and Seminoles.
“We ain’t done,” UNC head coach Scott Forbes said. “So we’ll bounce back and we’ll be ready to roll on Tuesday. That’s what I told them. I said move on. We have a 24-hour rule when we win, but after we lose even quicker.
“I told them to keep your heads up. You are at the College World Series. You have a great opportunity ahead of you.”
Beam (9-2) gave up four hits and one run in five innings with seven strikeouts and two walks.
He retired the first 10 batters he faced before Parks Harber registered UNC’s first hit. The other three hits he allowed came in succession in the sixth.
Vance Honeycutt put the Tar Heels on the board with a solo home run to lead off the sixth after the Vols scored three in fourth and one in the fifth.
The Tar Heels threatened to score multiple runs in the sixth, putting runners at first and second with no outs following Honeycutt’s homer, but Anthony Donofrio grounded into a fielder’s choice and was then picked off first base before Kirby Connell struck out Gavin Gallaher to end the inning.
Tears put the Volunteers ahead with a three-run homer in the fourth. Blake Burke led off with a single to left, Dylan Dreiling drew a one-out walk and Tears left the yard on a 2-0 pitch with two outs.
Reese Chapman led off the fifth with a solo home run, extending the Volunteers’ lead and chasing UNC starter Shea Sprague.
Sprague (3-2) allowed four runs, three hits and two walks in four innings pitched while he struck out six.
Dean Curley put the Vols back up by four with a two-out RBI single up the middle, playing their fourth two-out run of the game.
Tears collected his fourth RBI of the night with a two-out double in the eighth.