Game #64: Oklahoma 5, #5 Texas A&M 1
Records: Texas A&M (44-20, 19-11), Oklahoma (45-22, 15-9)
WP: David Sandlin (9-4)
LP: Ryan Prager (1-4)
Box Score
OMAHA, Neb. — In a remarkable march to the Men’s College World Series, Texas A&M became proficient in posting come-from-behind baseball victories.
So, a five-run deficit to Oklahoma on Wednesday afternoon was no cause for panic. The Aggies (44-20) would just bide their time awaiting the inevitable offensive surge.
Instead, there was an offensive dirge. The big inning never arrived and A&M’s momentous first baseball season under Jim Schlossnagle ended with a 5-1 loss to the Sooners (45-22).
“We've been here multiple times,” catcher Troy Claunch lamented. “We just tried to keep plugging. Today wasn't our day. We've hit that lucky button enough times this season, and today, it ran out on us. Just one heck of a run.”
Oklahoma’s Jimmy Crooks crashed a three-run home run off A&M starter Ryan Prager (1-4) in the first inning.
The Sooners capitalized on an error to add another run in the third and scored again in the fifth.
Five runs usually wouldn’t faze the Aggies. They’ve rallied from a nine-run deficit to beat South Carolina. They rallied from a 6-1 deficit to topple Alabama, 12-8.
They scored seven runs in the ninth inning to beat TCU, 15-9.
But the Aggies never broke through against Oklahoma right-handed sophomore David Sandlin (9-4), who allowed only a Dylan Rock solo home run in seven brilliant innings.
Sandlin gave a hint of what was to come by striking out the first three batters of the game. Overall, he allowed just five hits and one walk. His 100th — and final — pitch resulted in his 12th strikeout.
“He was executing pitches,” Schlossnagle said. “He really had a good breaking ball going.
“I just thought he had us on our heels the whole game.”
Sandlin was especially effective on the rare occasions the Aggies had runners in scoring position.
Claunch and Brett Minnich stroked back-to-back singles with two out in the second. Sandlin struck out Jordan Thompson to end the inning.
Austin Bost walked and Ryan Targac singled to start the fourth inning. Sandlin recovered to strike out Claunch, Minnich and Thompson.
“He was just able to mix all of his pitches,” Claunch said. “He was able to get ahead early with fastballs in the first half, and then next time around was able to mix and kind of threw whatever he wanted whenever he wanted.”
OU’s star reliever Trevin Michael threw two scoreless innings to close A&M’s season.
Still, the Aggies remained within striking distance because of a herculean relief effort by Jacob Palisch, who replaced Prager with one out in the third.
Palisch threw a season-high 82 pitches in 5.2 innings. He allowed three hits and one run and struck out eight.
“It was just one of those days where I knew what was at stake. I wanted to give everything I had to those guys (teammates),” Palisch said. “Fortunately, I had some pretty good command. Struggled here and there, but I wanted to leave it all out there on the line for those guys. It didn't matter how I felt. It was more just if the results were still working, I was going to run back out there.”
Some would say Palisch should have run out to start the game. Schlossnagle is among them.
“If I had known what I know now, I would have started Palisch,” he said. “That's easy to say, but if that's your mindset, then you are cashing in one game for the tournament because he already doesn't bounce back awesome, and obviously, he gave us a ton today.
"Our offense has been good, so I think the story is way less about who pitched for us and way more about Sandlin and the closer for them. They had us on our heels.”
The Aggies will get back on their feet after a period of disappointment. Then this gritty group of grinders will celebrate their unlikely uprising from a lackluster 10-6 start.
They surged to win the treacherous SEC West Division. They exorcized the demons of TCU in the regional tournament. They claimed A&M’s first Men’s College World Series victory in 29 years, and in the process, eliminated the Texas Longhorns and Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
There is so much for the Aggies to look back on.
Even better, there is so much to look forward to in the Schlossnagle era.
“The best way that the younger players on our team can honor the guys that were just up here (Claunch and Palisch) and the other older players that will be gone is to work their tails off to get us back here,” Schlossnagle said. “Then hopefully we play just a little bit better. Got to find some starting pitching that's a little more consistent.
“I think all in all, Aggies are pretty proud today. The beauty is that we're still real disappointed too because we want to win championships. I would anticipate — even though I never take these trips for granted — I would anticipate us being back here at some point.”
