Historical past was made on the School World Sequence on Friday evening. Tennessee second baseman Christian Moore hit for the cycle within the Volunteers’ opening sport in opposition to Florida State (TEN 12, FSU 11). He’s the second participant to hit for the cycle in School World Sequence historical past, becoming a member of Minnesota’s Jerry Kindall in 1956. Kindall did it in opposition to Ole Miss.
Moore tripled to guide off the sport, doubled within the second inning, singled within the fourth inning, then accomplished the cycle with a 440-foot dwelling run to useless middle within the sixth. Moore added a double throughout Tennessee’s ninth inning comeback because the Volunteers scored 4 runs within the ninth to stroll it off. In all, Moore went 5-for-6 on the plate. Here is the homer, which left Moore’s bat at 117 mph:
Forward of Friday, Moore took a .376/.453/.796 batting line and 32 dwelling runs into the School World Sequence. He’s a projected first-round decide in subsequent month’s MLB draft. Our R.J. Anderson ranked Moore the No. 21 prospect within the draft class. Here is his write-up:
Moore was the best hitter on a 50-win Volunteers workforce that additionally featured fellow potential first-round decide Billy Amick. He launched 29 dwelling runs, together with three in a late-season contest in opposition to Kentucky (two of which went out to the alternative discipline). Moore retains his barrel tight to his physique all through his swing, and he initiates from a setup that may remind you of former World Sequence MVP Édgar Rentería. Relaxation assured, the similarities finish there. Whereas Rentería’s sport was constructed round contact and protection, Moore’s is all about mashing after which mashing some extra. He is not a extremely expert defensive participant, and it is potential he transitions to the nook outfield earlier than reaching the majors. Groups will stay suboptimal defensive outcomes, together with a slew of different issues, if the bat delivers; Moore’s looks like it has a stable probability to do exactly that.
Moore turned the sixth participant in Tennessee historical past to hit for the cycle. That mentioned, the Volunteers have by no means received the School World Sequence. They had been the runner-up to Oklahoma in 1951.
Friday’s win moved Tennessee into the winner’s bracket. The Vols will play North Carolina within the winner’s bracket sport Sunday. In the meantime, Florida State will play Virginia within the loser’s bracket sport earlier that day. The loser of that sport will go dwelling.
