David LaManna and Jack Brannigan hit back-to-back home runs in the seventh to help Notre Dame beat Tennessee in the championship game of the NCAA tournament.
Notre Dame will be playing in the College World Series for the first time. In 1957 and 2002, the Fighting Irish traveled.
Oklahoma won the Blacksburg Super Regional to advance to the College World Series.
After entering the game in the bottom of the fifth with nobody out, a run in and a runner on second, and trailing by three, the team worked out of the situation. The Volunteers were held in check from there, allowing a single and two walks. He played a double play.
Notre Dame was given the chance to rally.
Carter Putz doubled off Chase Burns (8-2) with one out in the top of the seventh and scored on LaManna's two-out shot to right field to tie the game at 3-3. Brannigan followed with a home run to left-center.
Notre Dame added three runs in the eighth after the side was retired.
The pitcher hit Coetzee with a pitch. Coetzee was moved to second place. Ryan Cole reached first and Coetzee was able to hold on to the throw. The runners advanced after Kirby Connell took over. Putz hit the first pitch of the game for a two-run double and Jack Zyska followed with a single. The runs were not paid for.
The Vols got on the board in the first with a home run. LeManna hit the ground in the second. The Volunteers took a 3-1 lead in the fifth on a run- scoring double and an instuction to score on an error.
Tennessee entered the super regional as the best team in college sports. The Irish will be playing in the CWS for the first time in two decades.
Tennessee was in the CWS for the second year in a row. The Volunteers lost to Notre Dame 8-6). The second game was a victory for Tennessee. The Volunteers led the nation in home runs. Tennessee was up 49-0 at the time.
The AP contributed.