The Texas A&M baseball team got one step closer to its first national championship on Wednesday evening by clinching the first College World Series finals appearance in program history.
The No. 3 Aggies (52-13) shutout SEC rival Florida (36-30) by a final score of 6-0 in the CWS semifinals at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska. The matchup was a rematch of the opening round, which Texas A&M won 3-2 into the early hours of Father’s Day following a four-hour rain delay.
The shutout was the Aggies’ 12th on the year, the most in Division I. Texas A&M is 8-0 in the NCAA Tournament and the first team since Vanderbilt in 2015 to reach the finals unbeaten.
With a 5-1 victory versus No. 2 Kentucky on Monday, the Aggies advanced to the penultimate round. The Gators earned a second shot at Texas A&M after a 15-4 win against the Wildcats on Wednesday afternoon.
Florida freshman right-handed pitcher Liam Peterson walked 4-of-5 Aggies to begin the game, leading to 2 Texas A&M runs in the top of the first inning without a hit. Peterson walked home the first runner, then freshman outfielder Caden Sorrell crushed a sacrifice fly to center field.
The Aggies added on in the fifth with an RBI double to left center field from freshman third baseman Gavin Grahovac. Sorrell belted a 2-run homer to right center in the sixth to increase the advantage to 5-0.
SORRELL SMASH đź’Ş#GigEm x @CadenSorrell x #MCWS pic.twitter.com/gnoq7O1mAd
— Texas A&M Baseball (@AggieBaseball) June 20, 2024
Texas A&M junior shortstop Ali Camarillo led off the ninth frame with a triple to right field. Sophomore second baseman Kaeden Kent brought him home with an RBI knock to right.
Sophomore LHP Justin Lamkin tossed another gem. He earned the dub by pitching 5.0 scoreless innings and allowing 3 hits and 1 walk with 9 strikeouts on 70 pitches. Lamkin set a new franchise record with the most Ks ever in a CWS contest.
Junior RHP Josh Stewart pitched the next 2.0 shutout frames, giving up 1 hit with 4 punchouts on 30 pitches. Senior LHP Evan Aschenbeck closed it out over the final 2.0 scoreless innings, allowing 2 walks with 1 strikeout on 29 pitches.
The Aggies face top seeed Tennessee in the CWS finals opener. The SEC matchup is the eighth in championship history between two teams from the same conference and sixth from the SEC. First pitch on Saturday is at 6:30 p.m. on ESPN.
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