CWS 2024: Westside product Dalton Bargo turns his dream into reality with a College World Series debut

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - For Tennessee utility player Dalton Bargo growing up in Omaha meant the College World Series was just a part of life in the summer. Even though he had attended the CWS since he was six years old, the “Greatest Show on Dirt” never lost its luster.

“You play in the Slump Buster tournament -- which is going on -- and then you get done with your game and you come here and you want to be on that field one day,” said Bargo reflecting on growing up in Omaha. “Now finally being here, it’s really cool seeing all the little kids I used to be.”

Bargo was born with a love of the game. He has had a bat and ball in his hand since age one and even convinced his parent at age five to buy a house because it had a baseball field behind it.

“He lives and breathes baseball. Always had,” said Heather Bargo, Dalton’s mom. “He didn’t watch cartoons. He watched ESPN. I could lay him down on the ground as a baby and he could hear the duh a duh, duh a duh and his head was up looking around ready to watch.”

“They were with me every step of the way. They came to every tournament and I couldn’t be more grateful for what my family’s done for me and they’re the reason why I’m here in this position,” said Bargo. “I can’t be happier and I can’t be more thankful.”

The path to Omaha wasn’t direct for Bargo, as few journeys in college athletics are nowadays. Out of high school, the former Warrior attended Missouri. After one season at Mizzou, Bargo transferred to Tennessee.

“From day one [Dalton] said ‘I’m going to play here’ and this was his goal,” said Dalton’s dad, Mike Bargo. “It was his goal last summer when he decided to go to Tennessee. He wanted a chance to play in Omaha. And here we are.”

“It’s never been ‘if I play at the College World Series.’ It’s always been ‘when I play at the College World Series,” said Heather Bargo.

In his first season in Knoxville, Bargo has blasted eight home runs, two of which came in game three of the Super Regional to help punch the Vols’ tickets to Omaha.

“[I’m] enjoying the moment. I mean it’s just baseball. I mean it’s the same game I played since I was three years old and just kinda enjoying the moment and just playing the game I love,” said Bargo.

Tennessee comes into the Men’s College World Series this year as the top team in the country.

“Our goal has been not just to get here, but to win a national championship. And being in the position we are I feel really good about our chances.”

The last time the No. 1 overall seed won it all in Omaha was in 1999.

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