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Greg Larnerd

The 2021 College Baseball World Series Experience

By Jeremiah Itula Jun 24, 2021 | 5:35 PM

Omaha, Nebraska is a simple city but when it comes to baseball they turn it up a notch with the annual hosting of the College World Series, and after a year away it was back in full force in 2021. Two local Tennessee teams were also involved in the Volunteers and the Vanderbilt Commodores which afforded me an incredible opportunity to take a trip out to the great baseball city of Omaha to cover these two power baseball programs and document the journey for you and boy what a journey it was.

I was also fortunate that a good friend and fellow Tennessee media member covering the local teams for Chatt Tenn Sports Chase Green was able to make his way out to Nebraska with me.

Before we go any further and we dive into the trip I need to give a special shout-out to those who made this trip a possibility.

First, Papa John’s of the Greater Chattanooga area.

Papa Johns’s

And Guardian Investment Advisors

Guardian Investment Advisors

Thank you so much to both of those companies for making this trip a possibility.

It started with the road trip to Atlanta to catch our flight out to the College World Series.

Then, one of us (me) finally arrived for the first time ever in Omaha.

Once Chase arrived it was time to explore and we stumbled upon Omaha’s Baseball Village.

Yeah, we’ve traveled a bit of a way but certainly not as far as some folks had to trade to make it to the baseball heaven that is Omaha.

Finally, it was time to enter TD Ameritrade Park for the first time as Vandy and Arizona were underway.

A little mid-game update from Vandy and Arizona.

While in Omaha, I got an opportunity to see my cousin Abby for the first time in about three years as Chase and I stayed with her and her boyfriend Shane as we all took in the action of game one of our trip.

After many chances by both Vandy and Arizona, the Commodores FINALLY won it in the bottom of the 12th in what was the fourth-longest game in College World Series history and the longest in TD Ameritrade history.

Day two began nice and early as the Vols were opening up their College World Series trip with the first game on Sunday against Virginia and Chase was ready, to say the least.

More Omaha Baseball Village goodness with tons of orange.

Time to head to our seats as the Vols were gearing up to play.

Tennessee hitting the field in Omaha for the first time in 16 years.

It wasn’t the best day for the Vols against the Cavaliers as the offense didn’t show up and Chad Dallas was solid but was knocked out in the 7th.

Even though Tennessee fell 6-0 to Virginia we got some exciting news for The Word With G show that we were broadcasting on Monday…

Once Monday rolled around the show was ready to go with a pretty sweet set up on a beautiful sun-soaked day.

We also ran into some Chattanooga natives in Omaha AND had nine-year-old sports guru Ford Vaughn on the show with us in the first hour, what a treat.

The second half of hour two from the Omaha Baseball Village LIVE feed.

Once the show was in the books it was time for us to take in our final action of the weekend from the College World Series with an elimination game between Arizona and Stanford which Stanford won 14-5.

Can never go wrong with some good BBQ to finish up the trip.

The trip was absolutely incredible and I want to thank Kira Headlee, Keith Landecker, and Wells Gutherie of Brewer Media Group for allowing me to take this trip. Once again, I need to thank Papa John’s of the Greater Chattanooga area as well as Guardian Investment Advisors for sponsoring the trip as well as all of our trip updates on the radio. Thanks for following along the Omaha ride with us.

 

 

 

For all of my inner sports thoughts and to keep up with everything I’m doing around the Chattanooga area follow along on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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