June 06, 2004
The Aggies took a little "Olsen Magic" with them to Houston this weekend as Justin Ruggiano hit a grand slam homerun with one out in the bottom of the eighth to lead No. 14 Texas A&M to a 7-5 win over No. 4 Rice and a regional championship at Reckling Park.
Craig Stinson, John Infante and Travis Bartek all singled to load the bases and Ruggiano blasted a first-pitch fastball over the wall in right to send the A&M dugout into a frenzy.
With the win, the Aggies improved to 42-20 while Rice ended its season with a record of 46-14.
The Aggies will play a three-game series with LSU next weekend to determine who will go to the College World Series in Omaha, Neb. Game dates and times will be announced on Monday.
Ruggiano was not the only hero of the game as A&M starter Jason Meyer, who pitched four innings in Friday's game against Lamar, gutted out 7.1 innings. He allowed four runs (two earned) while striking out nine.
Freshman reliever Kyle Nicholson (3-0) pitched the final 1.1 innings, striking out Adam Hale to end the game.
Rice started the scoring in the top of the second with a run off Meyer. Adam Rodgers started the inning with a double to left and moved to third on a single by Travis Reagan. With one out, Clay Reichenbach lifted a sacrifice fly to center to plate Rodgers.
The Aggies tied the game in the bottom of the fourth. After Rice starter Josh Baker retired the first 10 men he faced, he walked Cliff Pennington, who later stole second. Austin Boggs delivered a two-out RBI single to plate Pennington and tie the game at one.
Texas A&M took its first lead of the weekend in the bottom of the sixth with a pair of runs. Lead singles by Pennington and Patton put runners on second and third. Boggs was forced from the game with a two-two count after being unable to stand because of leg cramps.
Enter Matt Alexander. Alexander drove the first pitch he saw from Rice reliever Philip Humber down the right-field line for a double and a RBI. Coby Mavroulis then delivered a sacrifice fly to give the Aggies a 3-1 lead.
Rice answered with a two-run home run from Reichenbach in the top of the seventh to tie the game at three and then took the lead when Adam Rogers belted a two-out two-RBI single in the eighth.
Pennington was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player, finishing the tournament 8-for-13 with eight runs scored, four RBI. In addition, Schindewolf (2B), Boggs (3B) and Meyer (P) were named to that all-tournament team.