Tag: 2024 NCAA College Baseball Tournament

Best photos from No. 3 Texas A&M’s late night victory vs. Florida at College World Series

Check out some of the best pictures from last night that were taken by USA TODAY Sports photographers Steve Branscombe and Dylan Widger.

Following a four-hour rain delay in Omaha, Nebraska, that pushed the College World Series opening round into the early hours of Father’s Day, the Texas A&M baseball team held on for a 3-2 win against SEC rival Florida.

The No. 3 Aggies (50-13) beat the Gators (34-29) by tallying two runs in the bottom of the second inning and one in the third. Texas A&M plays another SEC foe, No. 2 Kentucky (46-14), at Charles Schwab Field on Monday at 6 p.m. CT. The game will be broadcast on ESPN and ESPN+.

Sophomore left-handed pitcher Justin Lampkin, junior right-hander Chris Cortez and senior lefty Evan Aschenbeck pitched 3 innings each in that order on Saturday evening. Cortez relieved Lampkin to earn his 10th win on the year before the Stopper of the Year shut it down like he usually does.

Check out some of the best pictures from Saturday night that were taken by USA TODAY Sports photographers Steve Branscombe and Dylan Widger.

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5 Texas A&M baseball players receive ABCA All-Region Honors with 4 on the first team

Texas A&M is rolling into the College World Series with several accolades, including five players receiving recognition from the ABCA.

The No. 3 Texas A&M baseball team is rolling into Omaha with several accolades under its belt, including five players receiving recognition from the American Baseball Coaches Association this week.

On Tuesday the the ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Division I Central All-Region Teams were revealed. The squads were chosen by ABCA members.

Senior left-handed pitcher Evan Aschenbeck, outfielders, Braden Montgomery and sophomore Jace LaViolette, and freshman third baseman Gavin Grahovac were chosen to the ABCA All-Region first team. Starting sophomore LHP Ryan Prager received a second team nod.

Five Aggies was the highest from the Central Region and tied for the most in program history with 2015.

Montgomery suffered a season-ending injury during the Super Regionals versus Oregon and is likely to be drafted in the Top 10 of the 2024 MLB Draft. Aschenbeck was recently awarded “Stopper of the Year” from the National College Baseball Writers Association.

The No. 3 Aggies (49-13) begin the College World Series versus SEC rival Florida (34-28) on Saturday at 6 p.m. on ESPN.

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‘Get your arm ready,’ Texas A&M coach Schlossnagle comments on Aschenbeck’s NCBWA award

“The toughest and easiest decision I ever have to make in a game is when to bring Evan in the game. He’s had a great two years for us.”

Texas A&M senior left-handed pitcher Evan Aschenbeck received the “Stopper of the Year” honor on Friday from the National College Baseball Writers Association and coach Jim Schlossnagle shared his thoughts at the award press conference.

“Not a whole lot for me to say other than the toughest and easiest decision I ever have to make in a game is when to bring Evan in the game. He’s had a great two years for us,” Schlossnagle said. “The most beautiful thing about Evan, as I’m sure can be said about any great player, is as great of players as they are, they’re even better people and come from unbelievable families. Congrats to the Aschenbeck family! The 12th Man is super proud of you.

“Get your arm ready buddy, you’re going to pitch a lot this week!”

The No. 3 Aggies (49-13) begin the College World Series versus SEC rival Florida (34-28) on Saturday at 6 p.m. on ESPN.

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‘Best decision that I ever made,’ Texas A&M LHP Evan Aschenbeck reacts to NCBWA honor

“I want to thank the coaches for giving me an opportunity to play for Texas A&M. It was the best decision that I ever made in my life.”

Texas A&M senior left-handed pitcher Evan Aschenbeck received the “Stopper of the Year” award on Friday from the National College Baseball Writers Association.

“Alright, I’m not too good at public speaking, but I’ll give it a go. I just wanna thank everybody that’s been a part of this,” Aschenbeck said. “I first off want to thank my teammates just because nothing is better for a pitcher than to have a great defense behind you. They just want to play their hearts out every time that we go out on the field and it makes it a whole lot easier knowing that I just need to fill up the zone and they’ll make plays behind me.

“Next, I want to thank the coaching staff for taking a chance on me and giving me an opportunity to play for Texas A&M. It was the best decision that I ever made in my life. Next is my family, just for all the support and everything. They are here today, it’s awesome to see them here and every away series so I just want to thank them.

“I can’t accept this award without my teammates and everyone that is there to support me. So thank you very much!”

The No. 3 Aggies (49-13) begin the College World Series versus SEC rival Florida (34-28) on Saturday at 6 p.m. on ESPN.

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‘Like hearing from your dad,’ Schlossnagle explains the value of Texas A&M’s CWS experience

“The more often you go, the more used to being here that a team is. Between Prager, Cortez, Rudis and Targac, it’s awesome to have that.”

Before the Texas A&M baseball team begins the College World Series this weekend, coach Jim Schlossnagle spoke to the media about the four Aggies who accomplished program history by making their second trip to Omaha, Nebraska.

“It means a lot. The more often you go, the more used to being here that a team is. When you have somebody other than a coach who can talk to you about their experience, whether it be on the field or off,” Schlossnagle said Thursday. “Between Prager, Cortez, Rudis and Targac, it’s awesome to have that coming from players. It’s like hearing from your dad all the time, they hear from me all the time, but it’s better when it comes from a player. Hopefully we can continue that to where we always have that kind of experience on our club.”

No. 3 Texas A&M (49-13) face SEC rival Florida (34-28) on Saturday evening at 6 p.m. on ESPN.

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Texas A&M sophomore Jace LaViolette looks ahead to ‘really surreal’ College World Series

“I’m about living in the moment so I took today in and it was pretty surreal. It’s my first time ever being here, so it was really surreal.”

Before the Texas A&M baseball team begins the College World Series this weekend, sophomore outfielder Jace LaViolette spoke to the media after his first practice in Omaha, Nebraska.

“I’m kind of all about living in the moment so I took today in and it was pretty surreal. It’s my first time ever being here, (Gavin Grahovac’s) first time ever being here, so it was really surreal,” LaViolette recalled Thursday. “It was a really cool moment and obviously it’s really cool to be here but you just have to treat it like Opening Day, right? We have to realize that we got here because we had a standard and because we have things that we believe in. We can’t start going away from those things just because we’re on a bigger stage or bigger field that you perceive to be bigger, right?

“So we just have to put it in perspective and realize it’s still baseball, it’s still a game and we just have to play our best.”

The No. 3 Aggies (49-13) face SEC rival Florida (34-28) on Saturday evening at 6 p.m. on ESPN.

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Texas A&M freshman 3B Gavin Grahovac shares mindset ahead of College World Series

“It’s tough to lose a guy like Braden. Every guy has to step up now, like you saw the other day, Kaeden Kent with a huge swing and plays.”

Before the Texas A&M baseball team begins the College World Series this weekend, freshman third baseman Gavin Grahovac spoke to the media after his first practice in Omaha, Nebraska.

“Just gonna have the same mentality that we’ve had all year. Opening Day, every day, go out there, it might be a new field, big field, big stage, but gotta go out there, play our game and just have fun,” Grahovac said Thursday. “It’s tough to lose a guy like Braden. Great teammate, great person, built a great relationship with him. He’s going to continue to be a great teammate as we continue to go through this journey. Every guy has to step up now so whoever is coming off the bench and going to play, like you saw the other day, Kaeden Kent with a huge swing and huge plays.

“It’s going to be awesome, we’re going to have a great time and Braden is going to be here with us.”

The No. 3 Aggies (49-13) face SEC rival Florida (34-28) on Saturday evening at 6 p.m. on ESPN.

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Schlossnagle shares news about injured Texas A&M stars Shane Sdao and Braden Montgomery

“It changes a lot. (Sdao) had been as effective of a starting pitcher as anybody on our team. We will have to adjust a little bit,” he said.

After throwing only 11 pitches against Oregon on Sunday night during the Bryan-College Station Super Regional, Texas A&M sophomore left-handed pitcher Shane Sdao is out for the season according to coach Jim Schlossnagle.

“He won’t pitch again this year, but the prognosis was better than originally expected for next year. They have got to wait two weeks, let some swelling go down and then reevaluate him one more time to be sure. But it looks a lot better than expected for Shane next year,” Schlossnagle said. “It changes a lot. He had been as effective of a starting pitcher as anybody on our team. So we will have to adjust a little bit.

“Not ready to announce that yet. Justin obviously did not pitch – he just threw the one inning in the regional and did not pitch in the super regional. So he is ready to go. He had a couple good sessions this week.

“But the goal obviously is to stay in the winners’ bracket so we do not have to play as much. That would help. But we will have to have some other guys step to the forefront. That is one of the things I challenged the pitching staff about: who is going to be the Kaeden Kent or more of the pitching staff?

“Somebody that has not pitched as much is going to have to pitch a lot and pitch well for us to stay up there for a long time.”

Junior superstar Braden Montgomery suffered a season-ending injury on Friday afternoon against the Ducks. The highly touted outfielder and right-handed pitcher will be present to root on his teammates at the College World Series this weekend.

“He is going to join the team in Omaha probably within the next couple days,” Schlossnagle told the media Wednesday.

The No. 3 Aggies (49-13) face SEC rival Florida (34-28) on Saturday evening at 6 p.m. on ESPN.

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‘Takes a village,’ Texas A&M DH Hayden Schott reacts to reaching 2nd College World Series

“It takes a village and our village showed out when we could’ve really easily sat back and waited for tomorrow. I’m so proud of these guys.”

Sophomore second baseman Kaeden Kent and designated hitter Hayden Schott combined for 9 RBI on Sunday night at Blue Bell Park to propel the No. 3 Texas A&M baseball team to a 15-9 victory versus Oregon to advance from the Bryan-College Station Super Regional.

“It means a ton, the offense for sure, but it starts in the dugout. Man, it starts with Hank Bard, (Blake) Binderup, guys that are staying with us the whole game,” Schott said postgame. “Our pitching, everyone, it takes a village and our village showed out today when we could’ve really easily sat back and waited for tomorrow. So I’m so proud of these guys, man.”

The graduate student was perfect, going 4-for-4 with 4 runs batted in, 3 runs scored, 1 home run, and 1 walk. Schott will be making his second appearance in Omaha, Nebraska, at the College World Series, beginning Saturday at 6 p.m. against SEC rival Florida on ESPN.

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‘Take in the moment,’ Texas A&M 2B Kaeden Kent reflects on grand slam in win vs. Oregon

“I’ve never hit a baseball and been able to take in the moment. That was the first time I’ve ever been able to do that and it felt great.”

The Texas A&M baseball team trailed Oregon 8-4 entering the bottom of the seventh frame on Sunday evening during Game 2 of the Bryan-College Station Super Regional at Blue Bell Park.

The No. 3 Aggies scored 9 runs following the seventh-inning stretch. Texas A&M took the lead for good with an emphatic grand slam by sophomore second baseman Kaeden Kent.

“It was a 2-2 heater. I’ve never hit a baseball and been able to take in the moment. That was the first time I’ve ever been able to do that and it felt great,” Kent recalled. “Being on the field when (the 12th Man is) going crazy in the ninth inning when we’re down to our last out is the most insane feeling that I’ve ever experienced. In the seventh when we had our big inning, the Oregon pitchers were struggling a little bit out there, it plays a huge role into us winning that game.”

Kent fell a triple shy of the cycle and went 3-for-5 with a game-high 5 RBI and 2 runs.

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