Despite Failing To Reach Omaha, Aggies Baseball Looks To Be On Right Path

Texas A&M baseball still is headed in the right direction despite failing to reach the Super Regionals.

All things considered, Texas A&M baseball coach Jim Schlossnagle couldn't be more right. The Aggies played winning baseball down the stretch. 

Only one program can reign supreme in Omaha, Neb. It just wasn't A&M's year. 

"We didn't end up where we wanted to end up, but I'd be shocked to find a real Aggie that isn't proud of these kids," Schlossnagle said following a 7-1 loss to No. 8-seed Stanford Monday night. 

The Aggies were eliminated from postseason contention by the Cardinal at Sunken Stadium. Instead of facing in-state rival Texas for a best-of-three series to advance back to the College World Series, the Aggies return to College Station with hopes for a brighter future. 

Schlossnagle set the bar high for A&M when he arrived after an 18-year stint as TCU's head coach last offseason. This wasn't a man in jeopardy of losing his job. Folks in Fort Worth were devested when the manager that led their Horned Frogs to five CWS appearances was heading south down Interstate 35 for a new challenge and new conference. 

Two years, two deeper postseason runs that most expected and a game away from making the College World Series final? Fans that flock to Blue Bell Park shouldn't consider a two-game losing streak a downtrodden end to a season, but rather the start to something promising with up-and-coming talent.

In large part, Schlossnagle thanks the veterans on the staff for buying into his plan. Without it, who knows where A&M would be? 

"They were here when it wasn't great, and they hung around. They could have gone somewhere else," Schlossnagle said. "They could've gone to another school. They could've gone to professional baseball last year. They came back and gave every single thing they had." 

Schlossnagle looks at the whole picture rather than a sample size of the season. The Aggies lost two games to the Cardinal in their backyard after starting the Stanford Regional off 2-0. 

For some, that's enough to call the season a disoriented year. In retrospect, A&M was lucky to be playing entering early June. 

The pathway to the postseason came with its fair share of trials. Entering the final week of the regular season, the Aggies were coming off back-to-back losses at home by a combined score of 23-1 against Alabama. A sweep by Mississippi State likely would have forced A&M into a must-win situation entering the conference tournament. 

Pitching a season ago was A&M's best asset. This year, it was the crutch that kept Schlossnalge's roster on the postseason bubble entering Hoover. The good news? Players like Troy Wansing and Justin Lampkin hit their strides at the right time, posting one-hit outings against Tennessee and South Carolina to advance to the next stage. 

Hits were scarce, but they also were timely. Jace LaViolette's long ball against the Volunteers gave A&M a cushion. Austin Bost's game-tying home run against Arkansas made things interesting. 

And without Hunter Haas' two big swings against No. 5 LSU and Stanford, perhaps A&M's season ends before it begins. The Aggies went from being an afterthought to a program fighting after hours for a shot at the super regionals. 

A pitch here and swing there, perhaps national pundits are talking about the second coming of a Lone Star Showdown this weekend in Austin? 

“At the end of the day, we couldn’t score,” Schlossnagle said of the final. “That was the thing. We left 10 (runners) on, and they left six. It just wasn’t our day. Sometimes the other team plays a little better. We didn’t play bad; they just played better.”

Culture has been established under Schlossnagle. So has a foundation. The Aggies likely will be right in the heart of championship chatter next February when the season kicks off, and a combination of proven vets and up-and-comers should lead the charge. 

Nathan Dettmer, who gave the Aggies a chance Monday with six strong frames, likely will return as A&M's ace. Haas and first baseman Jack Moss could elect to return for their senior seasons depending on where their names are called in next month's MLB Draft.

LaViolette and catcher Max Kaufer were two freshmen that improved with reps. They'll now be staples entering their sophomore seasons. The goes for Lampkin on the mound, who very well could have the most pitching potential. 

Schlossnagle knows that without veterans like Bost, Brett Minnich and Jordan Thompson, A&M wouldn't be where it is entering his third offseason. He also knows there's a brighter future ahead with the players that remain behind for another year. 

All things considered, Schlossnagle's notion is right on par. The Aggies didn't win the College World Series in 2023, but the season was far from lost when looking at the big picture. 

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