Texas A&M's Jim Schlossnagle Share Bittersweet Moment In Win Over TCU
COLLEGE STATION -- Jim Schlossnagle embraced his players as Texas A&M stormed the diamond at Blue Bell Park into the early hours of Monday morning. Almost a year to the date, Schlossnagle elected it was time for a change. He was ready for another challenge and the Aggies needed a new direction to turn to after electing to let go of longtime coach Rob Childress.
But Schlossnagle didn't just smile alongside his current Aggie players. Standing in the opposing dugout was his former roster at TCU. After 18 years, countless postseason appearances and five College World Series, Schloss bested the Horned Frogs in his new home.
It didn't stop him from showing compassion. He hugged several TCU players following a 15-9 win in the College Station Regional. The moment was bittersweet for the first-year manager. While his club continues its quest to make the College World Series, the journey ends for multiple players Schlossnagle either recruited or developed into Big 12 Champion material.
“This is a tough one for me,” Schlossnagle said postgame. “I’m super excited for our team and our players. I told our team I love our players at Texas A&M as much as I love my children, but you’ve got to understand that 90 percent of the guys over there I loved as much."
Hired away from UNLV in 2004, Schlossnagle perfected baseball in Fort Worth. The Horned Frogs remained one of the more competitive rosters in the state of Texas and shined regardless of the conference.
Conference USA? TCU made the regionals twice. The Mountain West? They picked up seven consecutive conference titles and made the College World Series for the first time in program history. Thanks to Schlossnagle's experience, the Horned Frogs quickly rose to prominence in the Big 12.
Oh yeah, they won there too. TCU picked up three Big 12 titles during his nine seasons at the helm. He consistently created a pipeline for talent to leave Williams-Reilly Field and head to the big leagues, primarily on the mound with former pitchers such as Jake Arrieta, Matt Carpenter and Brandon Finnegan.
Maybe soon prospects such as shortstop Tommy Sacco or catcher Kurtis Byrne, both of whom were named to the College Station Regional All-Tournament team are called to the show. Perhaps one day fans of the Frogs will see Cam Brown pitch professionally in a similar fashion to how he looked Sunday afternoon. Without his eight shutout innings in the first game against Louisiana, it's an early exit for TCU at Olsen Field.
“I’m excited we won, but I’m way more than excited just to move on," Schlossnagle said.
Make no mistake, Schlossnagle said he isn't looking for the 'boo-hoos' or tears after defeating a team he once coached. Aggie baseball is alive and well in College Station for another week. Perhaps longer if they can win the Super Regionals.
It doesn't change the way things ended in Fort Worth. When hired away by A&M athletic director Ross Bjork, TCU was coming off a new low in terms of production. A heavy favorite to make it back to Omaha, the Horned Frogs dropped a pair of games in the regional to Oregon State and Dallas Baptist.
And just like that, Schloss was gone without a second look. Those goodbyes that were never shared and thanks that were never given certainly were on his mind through the five hours of play Sunday.
“If I had it to do over again, I would have handled things a little differently than this time last year,” Schlossnagle said. “I didn’t get to meet with (the players) when I left. I called every player, but the way baseball works, guys scatter off … so I never really got to do it probably the right way.
“I called every player, but I also wanted those guys to know how much I love them, just like I love the (Aggies now).”
Schlossnagle has been through the process before, but each stop has led to something bigger. At UNLV, he brought the Rebels to their first regional since 1996. TCU still remains one of the top programs in the Big 12 under new coach Kirk Saarloos.
He looks to bring that winning culture back to College Station for good. Schlossnagle's old squad seems to approve of the decision after all.
“You have to give a ton of credit to Jim and his ballclub. That’s what they’ve done all year,” Saarloos said. “That’s what they’ve really hung their hat on — playing great offensive baseball.”
The fifth-seeded Aggies will face 12th-seeded Louisville in a three-game set for a shot at Omaha. The first pitch and start date have yet to be decided as of this time.
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