Ad Disclosure
Tennessee vs. Texas A&M betting preview: Projected pitching matchups, full analysis for Game 2
Published:
Tennessee and Texas A&M will meet in Game 2 of the College World Series championship on Sunday afternoon.
It will be a quick turnaround for the Vols and Aggies, who wrapped up Game 1 just shy of midnight eastern time on Saturday night. Sunday’s game will begin at 2 p.m. ET.
The Aggies enter this contest needing just 1 win to earn their first-ever CWS title in program history. Texas A&M beat the Vols 9-5 on Saturday night, thanks in-part to a 5-run 3rd inning against Tennessee’s AJ Causey.
Here’s a look at the projected pitching matchups and betting lines for Game 2:
Tennessee vs. Texas A&M betting lines (via DraftKings)
Run line: Tennessee -1.5 (-154) | Texas A&M +1.5 (+120)
Money line: Tennessee -210 | Texas A&M +160
Total: Over 11 (-115) | Under 11 (-115)
Tennessee was favored in Game 1, and that’s once again the case in Game 2 despite the Vols’ loss on Saturday night. The total has fallen by half a run despite going well over 11.5 runs in Game 1 as well.
New Customers: Bet $5, Get $200 Instantly! DraftKings States: AZ, CO, CT, DC, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, NH, NJ, NY, NC, OH, OR, PA, TN, VT, VA, WV, WY
GET THE APPTennessee vs. Texas A&M projected pitchers
Tennessee projected pitcher: Drew Beam | 4.30 ERA in 98.1 innings | 92 strikeouts | 25 walks
Beam has been Tennessee’s No. 2 starter throughout the postseason, and has delivered some mixed results. Most recently, he was very good in a win over North Carolina in Omaha: 5 innings pitched, 4 hits, 1 earned run, 2 walks and 7 strikeouts. But his previous 3 outings against Indiana, Evansville and Mississippi State, things didn’t go nearly as well: 14 earned runs in 13 innings of work.
Tennessee used a total of 6 pitchers in Saturday’s loss, including opener Chris Stamos and follower AJ Causey. However, many of the Vols’ top bullpen arms appear to still be available and fresh entering Sunday’s contest. Nate Snead and Aaron Combs didn’t pitch on Saturday, while Dylan Loy threw only 22 pitches and would likely be available again in Game 2 if the Vols need to go in that direction.
Texas A&M projected pitcher: Justin Lamkin | 5.00 ERA in 63 innings | 86 strikeouts | 20 walks
Unlike Tennessee, Texas A&M has shown a willingness to shake up its pitching rotation during the postseason. The Aggies shocked everyone when they sent out Justin Lamkin for their opening-round game in Omaha, choosing to save ace Ryan Prager for the next round. Prager pitched on Saturday night in the championship series, so it won’t be him who gets the ball on Sunday afternoon.
Lamkin was a surprise choice to start in Omaha, but he did well with his opportunity. He struck out 6 batters over 3 scoreless innings against a loaded Florida lineup. The Aggies likely could have pushed Lamkin further in that matchup, but decided to lean on their elite bullpen for the remaining 18 outs (which paid off to the tune of a 3-2 win of the Gators). That strategy also allowed Lamkin to be available a few days later when Texas A&M faced Florida again. In that game, he tossed 5 shutout innings while allowing only 3 hits and striking out 9.
Of course, it’s always possible Texas A&M decides to go with someone else and save Lamkin for a potential Game 3. Tanner Jones (6.33 ERA) is the only other Texas A&M player with double-digit starts this season. If it’s not Jones or Lamkin, it would likely be a bullpen game for the Aggies.
Regardless of who starts, Chris Cortez is expected to have a big role on Sunday. Cortez is a bit of a wildcard. When he’s on, he’s one of the most unhittable pitchers in all of college baseball. But when his command isn’t there, Texas A&M coach Jim Schlossnagle has not hesitated to pull him out of a game. Cortez walked both batters he faced in his most recent appearance in Omaha. But in his 2 prior outings, he struck out 16 batters and allowed only 2 runs in 8.2 innings of postseason action against Oregon and Florida.
Bullpen ace Evan Aschenback threw 46 pitches in 2.2 innings to close out Game 1. He told reporters on Saturday night that he will be available for Game 2, but it’s unclear how much — if any — he will pitch on zero rest. It’s possible he will only be available in certain situations — such as a potential 9th-inning appearance if the Aggies are protecting a lead. Remarkably, Aschenback struck out 7 of the 10 batters he faced in Tennessee’s lineup on Saturday.
Tennessee vs. Texas A&M: 1 prop pick
Tennessee to win and hit 2+ home runs (+154 on FanDuel). I think the Vols will find a way to get it done today, and their bats should be more active with Texas A&M ace Ryan Prager out of the way. Lamkin gave up 10 home runs in his 63 innings this season, which is not a great ratio. Tennessee also led the nation in home runs this year and has several players who are capable of leaving the yard in any given at-bat.
States: MA, NJ, PA, VA, MD, WV, TN, LA, KS, KY, NC, AZ, CO, IA, WY, IL, IN, OH, MI, NY
21+ and present in a state with legal sports gaming. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
Looking to sign up with a sportsbook in Tennessee? Here’s a breakdown of all the best TN sportsbook apps on the market to help you make your choice!
Spenser is a news editor for Saturday Down South and covers college football across all Saturday Football brands.
