Texas A&M’s (52-13) postseason run has been record-breaking on several fronts after defeating Florida 6-0 in the College World Series semifinals on Wednesday night, as starting pitcher Justin Lamkin produced an absolute gem on the mound.
In five innings, the sophomore continued his impressive performance against the Gators after recording six strikeouts during their first meeting on Saturday in three innings. Lamkin set a CWS record with 9 Ks in his best career performance, while Josh Stewart and Evan Aschenbeck added five more strikeouts for an impressive 14 on the night.
Offensively, the Aggies scored six runs on six hits, and while star outfielder Jace LaViolette made his surprise return amid his lingering hamstring injury, his 0-4 showing at the plate wasn’t surprising.
However, after the win, head coach Jim Schlossnagle provided an interesting update regarding the injury report outside LaViolette. According to Schlossnagle, DH Hayden Schott, who went 0-2 with a run scored, is reportedly playing with a torn meniscus, as his knee issue is a lot more serious than previously anticipated.
Joining Schott, catcher Jackson Appel is also “banged up” but will continue to play through the pain. Both players have no plans to sit out of the final round for good reason.
“We are down our No. 2 starter, a first-round pick, and Jace (LaViolette) is banged up.”
“Appel is banged up. Schott is playing with a torn meniscus… You rally around it. You out-team the other team.”
Texas A&M will play Tennessee in Game 1 of the College World Series finals on Saturday, June 22, at 6:30 p.m. CT. The game will air on ESPN.
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