Aggie Baseball falls to Louisville to open College World Series, 8-4

OMAHA, Neb. — A five-run Louisville second inning and a two-run sixth were too much for Texas A&M to overcome as the Aggies suffered an 8-4 loss on Sunday in their first game of the College World Series.

The Aggies (41-22) fall into the loser’s bracket to face either TCU or Florida on Tuesday at 1 p.m.

Starting pitcher Corbin Martin (7-4) allowed five hits and a walk in 1.2 innings as Louisville (53-10) stormed out to an early 5-0 lead. The Aggies mounted rallies in the fourth and sixth off Louisville starter Brendan McKay (11-3) with to pull within a run.

Walker Pennington delivered a sacrifice fly and George Janca had an RBI single in the fourth.  Then in the sixth, Blake Kopetsky drove in Cole Bedford with a double in the sixth and scored on a Pennington single.

However, Sam Bordner, who has not allowed a hit in the postseason, retired all nine Aggies he faced. The Cardinals pulled away by adding two runs in the sixth and another in the eighth.

At the plate: Rightfielder Blake Kopetsky was 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles. He scored a run and drove one in. He might have had a triple had third base coach Will Bolt not held Hunter Coleman on a Kopetsky double into the right field corner in the fourth inning.

On the mound: Brigham Hill came on in relief with two out in the second inning and A&M trailing 4-0. He allowed one hit, which resulted in a Cardinal run, before getting Brendan McKay on a ground ball to end the inning. Hill then held Louisville scoreless in the third, fourth and fifth innings.

He was replaced by Cason Sherrod in the sixth after allowing two one-out singles.

Hill pitched 3.2 innings in which he allowed three hits, two runs (one earned) and two walks and struck out four. His performance gave the Aggies a chance to get back into contention.

In the field: George Janca had an excellent outing with the glove from third base. He made a stab to field a hard ground ball and retire Louisville lead-off hitter Logan Taylor in the first. Janca also made a diving stop on a Devin Hairston bouncer to notch the first out of the sixth inning. In all, Janca produced five put-outs.

Turning point: The first four Louisville hitters singled in the second inning off Martin to set the stage for a five-run rally in which the Cardinals batted around. That put the Aggies in a dubious 5-0 hole. No team had ever come back from 5-0 down to win a College World Series game at TD Ameritrade Park. A&M rallied with two runs in the fourth and sixth innings, but never could overcome Louisville’s big second frame.

Good/bad move: Coach Rob Childress’ decision to start pitcher Corbin Martin over Brigham Hill is going to be second-guessed. Martin, who pitched very well against Arkansas and Iowa but struggled in the Super Regional against Davidson, did not get out of the second inning. He allowed 5 earned runs on five hits and a base on balls in 1.2 innings. Martin gave way to Hill, who was effective in relief. Hill allowed just one hit in the first 3.1 innings he pitched. However, Childress removed Hill with two on and one out in the sixth and replaced him with Cason Sherrod.

Did you see that?: When Nick Choruby led off to open the game, the scoreboard flashed his image along with a note which read: “Two-year letter winner in high school.” Really? That’s the best the NCAA could come up with in the College World Series? How about hitting .500 in the playoffs? Nope… the NCAA felt it was notable that a starter in the CWS lettered in high school as a junior and senior. Wow. That never happens.

Scoring summary

First inning: A&M: (vs. Brendan McKay): Nick Choruby singles into RF: Logan Foster BB, Choruby to second; Braden Shewmake K (swinging); Hunter Coleman F-9; Cole Bedford K (swinging).
UL: (vs. Corbin Martin): Logan Taylor 5-3; Colby Fitch 3-1; Devin Mann F-9
Texas A&M 0, Louisville 0

Second inning: A&M: Blake Kopetsky singles to RF; Walker Pennington F-9; George Janca K (looking); Austin Homan F-9.
UL: Brendan McKay singles to LF; Drew Ellis bloop single to RF, McKay to third; Devin Hairston RBI single to LF, McKay scores, Ellis to second; Colin Lyman RBI single to LF, Ellis scores, Hairston to second; Josh Stowers SAC 5-3, Hairston to third, Lyman to second; Tyler Fitzgerald K (swinging); Taylor BB, bases loaded; Fitch 2 RBI single to LF, Hairston, Lyman score, Taylor to third; (NEW PITCHER: BRIGHAM HILL): Mann RBI single to LF, Taylor scores, Fitch to second; McKay 1-3.
Louisville 5, Texas A&M 0

Third inning: A&M: Choruby singles to LF; Foster K (looking); Shewmake K (looking); Coleman F-8
UL: Ellis BB; Hairston BB; (Ellis out stealing 2-6-5, Hairston to second); Lyman K (swinging); Showers K (swinging).
Louisville 5, Texas A&M 0

Fourth inning: A&M: Bedford BB; Kopetsky doubles into RF corner, Bedford to third; Pennington SF-8, Bedford scores, Kopetsky to third; Janca infield single to second on E-4 (throwing), Kopetsky scores; Homan F-9; Choruby K (swinging).

UL: Fitzgerald 1-3; Taylor K (swinging, 2-3); Fitch P-6.
Louisville 5, Texas A&M 2

Fifth inning: A&M: Foster 4-3; Shewmake F-7; Coleman 1-3
UL: Mann 5-3; McKay L-8; Ellis K (swinging).
Louisville 5, Texas A&M 2

Sixth inning: A&M: Bedford singles to LF; Kopetsky RBI double to LCF gap, Bedford scores; Pennington RBI single to CF, Kopetsky scores; (NEW PITCHER: Sam Bordner); Janca SAC 1-3, Pennington to second; Homan F-8; Choruby F-7.
UL: Hairston 5-3; Lyman singles to RF; Stowers singes to RF, Lyman to second; (NEW PITCHER: CASON SHERROD): Fitzgerald BB, BASES LOADED; Taylor fielder’s choice, E-4 on throw to second, Lyman scores, BASES LOADED; Fitch BB, Stowers scores, BASES LOADED. (NEW PITCHER: KAYLOR CHAFIN); Mann K (swinging); McKay P-5.
Louisville 7, Texas A&M 4

Seventh inning: A&M: PINCH HITTER Joel Davis 4-3; Shewmake F-7; Coleman P-3.

UL: Ellis F-8; Hairston singles to LF; Lyman F-7; Stowers K (swinging).
Louisville 7, Texas A&M 4

Eighth inning: A&M: Bedford 5-3; Kopetsky F-8; Pennington K (swinging).
UL: (NEW PITCHER MITCHELL KILKENNY): PINCH HITTER Justin Lavey singles to RF; Taylor SAC 3-4, PINCH RUNNER Ryan Summers to second; Fitch RBI double to LF, Summers scores; Mann F-8, Fitch to third; (NEW PITCHER: JOHN DOXAKIS): McKay F-8.
Louisville 8, Texas A&M 4

Ninth inning: A&M: (NEW PITCHER: LINCOLN HENZMAN): Janca F-9; PINCH HITTER Jorge Gutierrez 4-3; Choruby K (looking).

Final: Louisville 8, Texas A&M 4