Omaha Bound: Texas A&M Returns to College World Series Following Sweep Over Louisville
COLLEGE STATION -- When introduced as Texas A&M's next coach last June, Jim Schlossnagle said he was impatient. He also wasn't looking to rebuild. He had a goal early when speaking to the media for the first time at Kyle Field's Hall of Champions: a College World Series appearance.
Mission accomplished, coach. The ticket has been punched and the flight is now boarding for Ohama, Neb.
For the first time since 2017, A&M returns to the TD Ameritrade Park after sweeping Louisville in a 4-3 fashion Saturday afternoon. In front of a crowd of 6,656, the Aggies prevailed at Blue Bell Park as outfielder Dylan Rock's sacrifice fly in the seventh proved the be the difference in a series that was dubbed to be a high offensive showcase.
"This is really neat not just because of our players, but also the 12th Man," Schlossnagle said. "I know how bad they want champions in every sport, and I know baseball is important here."
The No. 5 seed Aggies (42-18) began the year projected to finish 13th in the SEC and dead last in the SEC West. Early odds believed A&M would take time to find its consistency, even with transfer talent such as Rock, first baseman Jack Moss or right-handed pitcher Micah Dallas.
The term "resilience" has boomed through A&M's locker room during the 2022 campaign. After a midweek loss to Houston in March, Schlossnagle said he sat in his office and promised himself that he wouldn't "let his boys down."
He didn't, but much like the season, Saturday's game had its lows early and highs late.
A two-run home run from designated hitter Dalton Rushing gave the Cardinals (42-21-1) a first inning lead. A&M would tie the game at 2-2 in the third thanks to a bases-loaded walk to Rock and an Austin Bost sacrifice fly.
Dallas' second blunder came in the fifth inning. The Aggies couldn't turn an inning-ending double play, allowing Rushing to smack a single and advance third baseman Ben Metzinger. Catcher Jack Payton would plate him three pitches later on a single.
Dallas would leave the game in favor of left-hander Will Johnston, going 4 2/3 inning while allowing three runs off eight hits.
"His fastball command isn't what it needs to be, but the ballpark's a little bigger in Omaha," Schlossnagle said of Dallas. "He landed his breaking ball and had a few good changeups."
A&M second baseman Ryan Targac started a new game with a solo home run off Louisville's Riley Phillips to begin the sixth. Johnston (3-1) would work his way out of trouble in the bottom frame while allowing just two hits off 32 pitches.
The hero from Friday night's action, catcher Troy Claunch, delivered a bullet down to catch pinch-runner Chris Seng stealing second in the eighth inning. Reliever Brad Rudis worked his way out of a one-out jam to keep the lead at one entering the ninth.
"No disrespect to anybody else, but [Troy] is kind of at the core of this thing," Schlossnagle said. "He calms the storm on offense and defense and he's a super unique player. We're glad he's an Aggie."
With a 3-2 count and a runner on first, Schlossnagle elected to pull Rudis and put the ball in veteran reliever Jacob Palish's hand. He'd pick up the strikeout one pitch later against Metzinger before Rushing drilled a deep fly ball to center with the next at-bat. Outfielder Jordan Thompson waited for it on the warning track and Blue Bell Park exhaled.
Palish would strike out Payton in the dirt while Claunch delivered the final blow with a throwdown to Moss at first. The third base dugout erupted to the infield as cheers of "Omaha!" echoed into the Texas sun and bubbles blew across the diamond.
A dog pile with Claunch in the middle ensued at midfield. Players embraced, smiles protruded across faces and tears began to trickle down ball players' cheeks, knowing a childhood dream was a reality.
A&M third baseman Trevor Werner said that before the start of the regionals, the team's plan was to go on "one game win streaks." The victory over Louisville is now the fifth "one-game win streak" for the Aggies since the start of postseason play. They'll need at least five more to take home a national title.
"It's about trusting what we do and not looking too far ahead," Targac echoed. "We've played this game one pitch at a time. That's how we're going to approach it in Omaha."
A Gatorade-baptized Schlossnagle said postgame that from the start he's been impatient. The goal for A&M initially was to fight its way to Omaha. Now, he has a new goal.
Win the whole damn thing in Year 1 of the Aggieland era.
"Coach John Robinson, Hall of Fame football coach once told one time that 'you need to slow down,'" Schlossnagle said. "I know we had a great season, but I don't want to slow down. I want to win a national title and do it sooner rather than later."
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