'It's Another Baseball Game' Texas A&M Looks To Stay Calm Amid Fight For Title

The Texas A&M Aggies face the Tennessee Volunteers in a winner-take-all game three for the national championship.

Tennessee head coach Tony Vitello and Texas A&M head coach Jim Schlossnagle pose for a photo with the championship trophy during a press conference before the NCAA College World Series finals at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Neb., on Friday, June 21, 2024. / Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA

If collegiate baseball games only lasted six innings, the Texas A&M Aggies would be your 2024 Division I NCAA Baseball Champions.

But they're nine innings, and that is why this game three is occurring.

Tennessee was able to put on a late rally in game two of the College World Series Final that included a pair of two-run home runs to keep their championship hopes alive and force a game three with Texas A&M, with the winner taking home the gold.

Most people in this situation would be growing gray hairs from the stress. The bright lights, the big crowds, what's at stake.

Then again, most people aren't Jace LaViolette. Or Jim Schlossnagle.

LaViolette, A&M's star sophomore outfielder, was the lone run support in the game two loss, sending home run number 29 of the season into the right field bullpen in the first inning of the contest.

According to LaViolette, this game three is just business as usual.

"This is the most comfortable we have felt playing baseball in a while. I have full faith in this team," LaViolette said. "Every single person on this team has full faith in ourselves. I mean, at the end of the day, it's another baseball game. Elimination or not, we always put our pants on the same, and we all do things the same."

Schlossnagle also encouraged his men to brush off the despair of yesterday's result.

"We had some momentum going there, but how that affects tomorrow, I don't know," Schlossnagle said. "Just like if you get your doors blown down in a game, I don't think it would hurt you for the next day."

One prestigious baseball program will leave Omaha with their school's first-ever national baseball championship. Can Texas A&M use its calm approach to get the job done?

Or will the Volunteers ride the momentum from yesterday's win and dogpile at the mound?

We will find out one way or another on Monday night.