Tennessee punched their ticket to the College World Series with a decisive 5-0 victory over Southern Miss on Monday night. Drew Beam's impressive seven-strikeout performance across six innings, combined with Zane Denton's pivotal three-run homer in the fifth, propelled the Vols to victory.

Beam took the mound after a four-hour rain delay and delivered a stellar performance. He exited in the seventh after surrendering consecutive hits, but Chase Burns swiftly extinguished the threat with back-to-back strikeouts, ultimately earning his second save of the season after fanning four batters in 2 2/3 innings.

Denton's three-run blast marked his second such home run of the NCAA Tournament, echoing his game-winning ninth-inning homer against Clemson that propelled Tennessee to the super regionals. Maui Ahuna added to the Vols' tally with a solo home run in the seventh.

This victory marks Tennessee's second trip to Omaha under coach Tony Vitello and sets up a Saturday showdown with LSU. For Southern Miss, the loss signifies the end of an era for retiring coach Scott Berry, whose distinguished career concludes with a school-record 528 wins.