HATTIESBURG, Miss — Tennessee baseball finds itself in the NCAA Super Regionals for the third year in a row, but unlike the previous two years, the Vols will not be in their home ballpark. Tennessee will travel to Hattiesburg, Mississippi to battle Southern Mississippi with a spot in the College World Series on the line.
The Vols' best-of-three series against Southern Miss is one of only two Super Regional matchups where neither team was a host for the NCAA Regionals. The Golden Eagles were awarded the right to host the Supers instead of Tennessee.
This matchup will be the first time these two teams have clashed in over three decades. Tennessee and Southern Miss last squared off in 1992 and the teams have played eight games against each other overall. The Golden Eagles won the first two games the teams played together, and Tennessee won the next six. The Vols are 3-2 all-time in Hattiesburg.
Southern Miss lost the first game of the Auburn Regional last weekend but rallied from the losers' bracket to win four-straight games and advance past Penn in the Regional finals. The program has made it to the Super Regionals in two straight seasons and three times overall. The Golden Eagles' lone CWS appearance came in 2009.
The Golden Eagles are led on the mound by Sun Belt Player of the Year and Collegiate Baseball First Team All-American Tanner Hall. The junior right-handed pitcher boasts a 2.08 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 119 strikeouts along with a 12-3 record over 17 starts and 108 innings this season. He is holding opponents to a .202 batting average and has only given up five home runs this season. Hall was also a First Team All-America selection last season.
Southern Miss has four players with double-digit home run totals and 85 team home runs this season. Junior outfielder Slade Wilks leads the way with 20 long balls and 58 RBIs along with a .291 batting average. Seniors Danny Lynch and Christopher Sargent have each hit 13 home runs to this point.
USM is 45-18 overall this season coming into the Super Regional round and 26-5 in its home ballpark.
The first game of the NCAA Super Regional in Hattiesburg between Tennessee and Southern Miss is slated to begin on Saturday, June 10 at 3 p.m.
