Aggies Look To Gain Ground In SEC at Tennessee

The No. 18 Aggies will head to Knoxville with the chance to prove their status as SEC contender against No. 12 Tennessee.

Jim Schlolssnagle doesn't allow his team to sulk for long. A loss will still, but it can't linger should be the motto. 

Texas A&M Aggies baseball rebounded Sunday afternoon following a pair of losses to top-ranked LSU to begin Southeastern Conference play. Ten innings after junior transfer Stanley Tucker played hero to give the No. 18 Aggies an 8-6 victory, A&M exchanged blows with Rice en route to an 8-7 win. 

Any win will go far for A&M this season. Really, most teams in the SEC need those "small victories" to keep them in contention for a shot at the NCAA Tournament. But it's the wins over top-ranked opponents that separate pretenders and contenders, a feat A&M must try to accomplish this weekend over No. 12 Tennessee in Knoxville. 

"It's going to be a battle," Schlossangle said Wednesday during his media availability. "They're coming off a weekend that didn't go the way they really wanted and I'm sure they're motivated to get back home." 

Pitching could determine the outcome of the three-game series. Both preseason top-five programs have dazzled with their ace, found consistency with their No. 2 option on the rotation and struggled to find a quality Day 3 prospect. Last weekend, the Volunteers were swept on the road by No. 21 Missouri, outscored 23-6. 

For the Aggies, it's all about getting through six frames. Nathan Dettmer allowed four runs against LSU, but punched out four Tigers and lasted six innings. Both Troy Wansing and Chris Cortez struggled with their control, leading to an early afternoon exit. Wansing lasted just 2.2 innings, while Cortez was pulled after allowing five runs and five outs. 

Schlossnalge is changing up his Sunday lineup for the time being. Freshman left-hander Justin Lampkin will get the call in the series finale after impressing as the midweek starter. Lampkin, a native of Corpus Christi, boasts a team-low ERA (1.33) and ranks third in both innings pitched (20.1) and strikeouts (25).

"Lampkin's really been the most consistent starting pitcher in the opportunities he's gotten," Schlossnagle said.

As for Cortez, Schlossnagle believes that time back in the pen could be the spark used to rekindle his freshman success. Last season on the way to a College World Series run, Cortez served as the top reliever thanks to his fastball-sinker combo that hovered around 95 mph. 

“Chris (Cortez) can hopefully go down there and give us something that way,” Schlossnagle said. “I am not out on him as a starting pitcher both this year and in his career. But right now, it is a pretty obvious need on both ends." 

In a sense, Schlossnagle will also face a former protege in his own backyard. Tony Vitello comes from baseball royalty in St.Louis thanks to his father, Greg Vitello, but his impact on scouting talent benefitted the second-year Aggies coach during his time at TCU. 

Hired as a recruiting coordinator in 2011, Vitello was influential in landing the talent needed for the Horned Frogs' push to Omaha. TCU made four consecutive trips to the College World Series from 2014-17, mostly done with players recruited by the now Vols' manager. 

"It doesn't surprise me of his success as a head coach," said Schlossnagle. "His dad was a super successful, legendary high school coach, so he grew up in coaching, and he’s always had a real good idea of what he wanted his team and program to look like, and that’s certainly come to fruition."

Dettmer will get the call Friday night at Lindsey Nelson Stadium while Wansing will take the hill Saturday afternoon. On the opposing side stands junior right-hander Chase Dollander and sophomore right-hander Chase Burns, a pair of fastball pitchers with the velocity to ruin a day. 

Dollander has seen his fair share of struggles but holds a respectable 3.90 ERA with 45 strikeouts. Burns, whose fastball has reached speeds of 98 mph, ranks second in the conference in strikeouts with 51. 

Freshman outfielder Jace LaViolette said last week's humbling loss to LSU Friday better prepared the team for quality pitching. Tigers ace Paul Skenes struck out 11 batters and allowed just four hits in 6.1 innings of work. 

"You have to control what you can control, and you can’t look at it as like, ‘Oh, I’m facing a power arm or I’m facing this guy,’ because if you look at it like that, you’re already beat," LaViolette said. "You have to look at it as, 'Alright, sure this guy is a power arm and he can throw really hard, but just be on time and know what you're going to get.' If you do those three things, I think you'll be really successful." 

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