In a heart-stopping moment at the College World Series, Florida State baseball came close to pulling off an upset against Tennessee. With the game tied in the bottom of the ninth inning, a pivotal check swing call by the third base umpire extended Blake Burke’s at-bat, leading to a game-tying hit and ultimately a walk-off win for Tennessee.
Despite Manager Link Jarrett’s protests, the decision by the umpire allowed Burke to stay in the at-bat and take advantage of the situation. After giving up a double and putting the tying run on base, Florida State pitcher Brennen Oxford found himself with a 2-2 count. His off-speed pitch seemed to get Burke swinging, but an appeal determined otherwise, extending the at-bat to a full count.
The controversy surrounding this call added another layer of drama to an already tense game. But in the end, it was Tennessee who emerged victorious, leaving Florida State struggling to regroup and fight their way back through the loser’s bracket in the College World Series.
