Aggies Head to Fort Worth Super Regional

Saturday, June 6

Fort Worth, Texas

2:00 PM

Texas A&M

TCU

Photo by: Texas A&M Athletics

Jun 04, 2015 | Baseball

Game Notes: NCAA Super Regional

By: Texas A&M Media Relations

COLLEGE STATION, Texas - The Aggies are embarking on their sixth NCAA Super Regional as they head to Fort Worth to take on the No. 4 TCU Horned Frogs. Both teams had to fight out of the losers' bracket of their respective regionals to advance to this weekend's showdown. The Maroon and White are searching for their third Super Regional title, the other coming in 1999 and 2011, and their sixth College World Series appearance.

As the Aggies head to Fort Worth for the Super Regional, they post superior numbers to TCU in RPI (A&M 5, TCU 10), Strength-of-Schedule (A&M 39, TCU 72), Record vs Top 50 RPI (A&M 17-8 [.680], TCU 9-6 [.600]) and Record vs Top 100 RPI (A&M 26-11 [.703], TCU 20-10 [.667]).

NO. 6 TEXAS A&M AGGIES (49-12) vs. NO. 4 TCU HORNED FROGS (47-12)
NCAA Fort Worth Super Regional
Lupton Stadium (4,500) • Fort Worth, Texas

SCHEDULE - Saturday, 2 pm; Sunday, 1:15 pm; Monday, TBA
TELEVISION - ESPN • Dave Neal (play-by-play); • Kyle Peterson and Chris Burke (color)
VIDEO - ESPN3 (WatchESPN credentials required through cable provider)
RADIO - Sports Radio 1150 and The Zone 102.7 FM • Dave South (play-by-play)
AUDIO - 12thMan.com • radioaggieland.com (free)
LIVE STATS - NCAA.com
RANKINGS - Texas A&M - 6 (USAT), 6 (NCBWA), 6 (D1B), 8 (BA); RPI - 5
TCU - 4 (USAT), 5 (NCBWA), 7 (BA); 10 (D1B); RPI - 10
SERIES HISTORY - Texas leads 160-88-4

AGGIES IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
The Aggies are making their 31st NCAA Championship appearance overall and their ninth in a row. The Aggies are 73-69 all-time in NCAA Championship play, including 64-46 in regional action. Texas A&M is 33-14 in NCAA tournament action on Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park.

Texas A&M has won regionals in 1993, 1999, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2011 and 2015. They also captured a district playoff in 1951 before regional play began.

The Aggies have advanced to the College World Series on five occasions, including 1951, '64, '93, '99 and 2011.

TEXAS A&M AT SUPER REGIONALS
The Aggies are playing in their sixth Super Regional. Texas A&M has advanced out of the Super Regional on two of their five prior appearances. The Aggies' record in Super Regional play is 4-8, with both of their series wins coming 2-1 and getting swept 2-0 in their three other appearances.

This marks the fifth time A&M has been sent on the road for a Super Regional, going to LSU in 2004, Rice in 2007 and 2008, and Tallahassee in 2011. The Aggies hosted Clemson in 1999.

TEXAS A&M AT SUPER REGIONALS

1999	CLEMSON	W, 2-1	W, 20-3; L, 3-10, W, 5-4
2004	at LSU	L, 0-2	L, 8-11; L, 0-4
2007	at Rice	L, 0-2	L, 2-3 (10 inn.); L, 2-5
2008	at Rice	L, 0-2	L, 7-9; L, 5-6
2011	at Florida State	W, 2-1	W, 6-2; L, 9-23; W, 11-2

TEXAS A&M/TCU SERIES NOTABLES
The Aggies and Horned Frogs have met on 252 occasions, most of the meetings coming in the Southwest Conference era. The Maroon and White own a 160-88-4 record in the all-time series.

Texas A&M has won 12 of the last 16 meetings, but TCU has victories in three of the last four meetings, including a 10-2 win at the 2012 College Station Regional.

POSSIBLE STARTERS:
#38 GRAYSON LONG
First Aggie pitcher to start 9-0 since Michael Wacha in 2012... looking to become first A&M pitcher to win 10 games since Ross Stripling in 2012... All-SEC Second Team pitcher... received no-decision against Alabama at SEC Tournament despite striking out 10 in 6.0 innings (6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB)... scattered two hits and three walks while strike out 12 in 7.0 scoreless innings at Ole Miss the last weekend of the regular-season.... didn't get a decision four weeks ago at No. 1 LSU despite a strong outing (6.1 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 4 K)... SEC Pitcher of the Week twice in 2015... eight weeks ago, fanned 14 of the 23 batters he faced in 6.0 innings at Alabama... named Most Outstanding Player at the Houston College Classic in March, scattering three hits and striking out a then career-high 10 batters without a walk in a 6-0 win against No. 16 Houston... enters play as the Aggies' active leader in wins (18), innings pitched (208.1) and strikeouts (171)... his .824 winning percentage (19-4) ranks ninth on Aggies' career list... 19 wins is tied for 15th on Aggie all-time list.
LONG'S CAREER TOTALS

Year	W-L	ERA	APP/GS	SV	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	AVG
2013	4-2	3.52	12/10	0	46.0	39	19	18	25	38	.235
2014	6-2	3.12	15/15	0	89.1	98	32	31	28	55	.284
2015	9-0	2.53	16/16	0	92.2	78	36	26	38	104	.225
Career	19-4	2.96	43/41	0	228.0	215	87	75	91	197	.251

#31 MATT KENT
Tabbed the Most Outstanding Player of the College Station Regional last week... named to SEC Tournament All-Tournament Team two weeks ago... worked A&M's only complete-game of the season in a 6-1 win over No. 9 Vanderbilt at the SEC Tournament, outdueling SEC Pitcher of the Year Carson Fulmer (9.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K)... ranks sixth among active pitchers in fewest walks per nine innings (1.04)... owns a 7.80-to-1 K/BB ratio in 2015 (10th among NCAA DI) and 6.55-to-1 for his career... was in the starting rotation the first 10 weekends... spent the last four weeks of the regular-season in the bullpen... picked up his first two career saves in the Saturday and Sunday games at Tennessee... retired all 16 players he faced, including seven strikeouts, in 5.1 innings of relief against Texas State... induced three inning-ending double plays to work 6.0 shutout innings against Missouri despite allowing seven hits... named to the Houston College Classic All-Tournament Team as he stymied Baylor hitters for the better part of 7.1 innings, allowing two runs on six hits and one walk while striking out nine... opened season with a win against Holy Cross, yielding just one unearned run on five hits while striking out three in 7.0 innings of work.
KENT'S CAREER TOTALS

Year	W-L	ERA	APP/GS	SV	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	AVG
2013	2-3	4.17	26/2	0	36.2	43	17	17	2	21	.299
2014	3-1	3.15	20/4	0	45.2	50	18	16	8	32	.284
2015	9-1	2.99	18/13	2	90.1	96	36	20	10	78	.277
Career	14-5	3.28	64/19	2	172.2	189	71	63	20	131	.284

#51 TYLER STUBBLEFIELD
Went 364 days between starts after missing much of the 2015 season with a knee injury... as one start on the season, allowing one run on four hits and one walk while striking out four in an NCAA Regional game against California... his only career complete game came against Texas at the 2015 Houston Regional, holding the Longhorns to just two runs on four hits and five walks while striking out nine in a 3-2 win.
STUBBLEFIELD'S CAREER TOTALS

Year	W-L	ERA	APP/GS	SV	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	AVG
2014	4-2	3.81	17/11	1	59.0	59	30	25	22	61	.265
2015	0-0	5.14	3/1	0	7.0	9	6	4	1	5	.310
Career	4-2	3.95	20/12	0	66.0	68	36	29	23	66	.270

#10 ANDREW VINSON
His 1.33 ERA currently ranks seventh among NCAA Division I pitchers and leads the SEC... ranks seventh on A&M's career list for appearances at 81 with 79 coming in relief... current career ERA (2.29) ranks eighth on A&M's all-time list... he leads the SEC and ranks 21st in the country with 33 appearances... crafted a gem in his last outing, pitching 7.2 shutout innings, scattering five hits and three walks while striking out eight in an NCAA Regional win against Coastal Carolina... also earned a save in the Aggies' regional win over Texas Southern... prior to becoming a starter his longest career outing was 4.2 innings against Arkansas on April 19 when he held the Razorbacks to one run on four hits and one walk while striking out five on 68 pitches.
VINSON'S CAREER TOTALS

Year	W-L	ERA	APP/GS	SV	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	AVG
2014	1-1	4.05	16/0	0	20.0	20	9	9	10	20	.267
2014	3-2	2.95	32/0	2	36.2	26	14	12	11	34	.210
2015	5-2	1.33	33/2	4	61.0	42	11	9	13	60	.198
Career	9-5	2.29	81/2	6	117.2	88	34	30	34	114	.214

ACROSS THE BOARD IMPROVEMENT
The Aggies are hitting .016 higher than at the same time a season ago and the improvement can be seen sprinkled throughout the lineup. Below is a comparison of batting averages through 61 games from 2014 and 2015.

	2014	2015
Blake Allemand	.294	.338
Nick Banks	.333	.366
Ronnie Gideon	.226	.308
Hunter Melton	.245	.312
Mitchell Nau	.274	.377
Logan Taylor	.269	.344

BALANCE OF POWER
Coach Childress has the potential to pencil in a lineup that can include eight players with at least five home runs. LOGAN TAYLOR and RYNE BIRK leads the team with 10 home runs apiece. HUNTER MELTON has eight dingers followed by BLAKE ALLEMAND, NICK BANKS and RONNIE GIDEON with seven apiece. LOGAN NOTTEBROK has six taters followed by JB MOSS with five home runs.

FOUR AGGIES EARN ALL-SEC
The Texas A&M Aggies had four players earn All-SEC honors, the league announced on prior to the league tournament.

Mitchell Nau picked up All-SEC First Team recognition as a designated hitter. Aggies on the All-SEC Second Team included outfielders Nick Banks and Logan Taylor and starting pitcher Grayson Long.

The four honorees set a new high water mark for the program in their third season of SEC play. The Aggies' four All-SEC performers ranked second behind only LSU with six.

DINGER WATCH
The Aggies already have 68 home runs on the season. Last year, A&M hit just 25 home runs on the year. The Aggies had just 25 home runs through 61 games in 2014. The Maroon and White have 20 home runs in their last 13 games, including five home runs in a 15-14 win against South Carolina. NICK BANKS and LOGAN TAYLOR lead the Aggies with 10 home runs apiece, the most for an A&M player since three Aggies logged double-digit dingers in 2010.

Fifty-two of Texas A&M's home runs have come in their 41 games at Blue Bell Park. All 10 of Taylor's dingers have come at the friendly confines.

CHILDRESS JOINS 400-WIN CLUB
With the win in the series finale at Tennessee, ROB CHILDRESS earned his 400th career win. With his current record of 408-220-2, he trails only Mark Johnson (876 - 1985-2005) and Tom Chandler (660 - 1959-84) in career wins for the Aggies.

HISTORIC START
The Aggies started the season 24-0. It marked the best start for the Maroon and White since the 1989 campaign when A&M set a 26-0 foundation. It also broke the SEC record for longest win streak, topping LSU's 23-game win streak in 2008.

SEEMS LIKE JUST LAST YEAR
Texas A&M is averaging 1.41 more runs per game and sporting a batting average .016 higher than the same point last season. Here's a comparison of the Aggies offensive numbers through 61 games in 2014 and 2015.

	2014	2015
W-L	36-25	49-12
SEC W-L	14-16	18-10
Batting Average	.289	.305
Runs Per Game	5.38	6.79
Runs	328	414
Home Runs	25	68
RBI	297	392
Slugging Percentage	.383	.466
On-Base Percentage	.364	.394

STREAKS AND TRENDS
• The Aggies are 14-2 on the opening nights of series/tournaments in 2015. Last season, A&M was 3-13 on opening night in the regular season, including losing opening games at the SEC Tournament and NCAA Houston Regional.
• In the series finale at LSU, NICK BANKS had his 42-game streak of reaching base (via walk, HBP or hit) snapped. It was the longest stretch for an Aggie since Mikey Reynolds reached in 46 consecutive games in 2013. He had a pair of 13-game hit streaks during the stretch.
• The Aggies are on an 18-game win streak in midweek games, including a 13-0 mark in 2015. The string includes five games at the end of 2014, including wins over then-No. 16 Rice and then-No. 25 Sam Houston State.
• A&M has won their last 30 regular-season non-conference games, including 25 in a row this season.
• BLAKE ALLEMAND is the only Aggie to start all 61 games this season. He has started the last 104 games for A&M.
• BLAKE ALLEMAND has hit in the leadoff spot the last 51 games, batting .342 with a .438 on-base percentage, 48 runs, 13 doubles, two triples, six home runs and 30 RBI.
• RYNE BIRK and LOGAN TAYLOR's 10 home runs are the most for an Aggie since 2010 when a trio hit the mark, led by Brodie Greene with 14.
• BLAKE ALLEMAND ranks fifth on A&M's career list for walks (120), at-bats (804) and games played (228) and 13th for hits (236).
• The Aggies' current .305 batting average would rank as the highest since the Maroon and White batted .322 in 1999. A&M has not batted .300 since 2010.
• LSU and Texas A&M are the only NCAA teams to rank in the top 20 in both ERA and Batting Average. The Aggies rank ninth in batting average (.305) and 17th in ERA (2.95). LSU ranks 3rd in batting average (.319) and 10th in ERA (2.84).
• MITCHELL NAU enters Saturday's game with a nine-game hit streak. Over the span he is hitting .371 (13-for-35) with seven runs, three doubles, two RBI and a .450 on-base percentage.
• Aggie relief pitchers stranded 14 of the 15 runners they have inherited in regional action.

POSTSEASON STREAK CONTINUES INTO 2016
Prior to the arrival of head coach Rob Childress, Texas A&M had never appeared in the NCAA Tournament more than four consecutive years. Advancing to the NCAA College Station Regional in 2015 extended the Aggies current string to nine consecutive years, something that had never happened before in the program's 113 year history. Childress has led the Aggies to the postseason each of the last nine seasons, topping the previous-high water mark of four-straight trips, a feat that had happened only twice before at Texas A&M. Former head coach Tom Chandler led his squad to the NCAA Regionals each season from 1975 to 1978 and 11 years later the Aggies enjoyed a similar four-year run from 1986-89 under the direction of head coach Mark Johnson.

AGGIES IN THE TOP TWENTY
Starting the week, the Aggies were ranked in the top 10 in the nation in 12 NCAA categories, including nine on the offensive side and three on the mound.

	Stat	National Rank	SEC Rank
Home Runs	68	5th	1st
Sacrifice Flies	34	6th	1st
Batting Average	.305	9th	2nd
Slugging Percentage	.466	10th	1st
Home Runs per Game	1.11	12th	1st
On-Base Percentage	.394	13th	1st
Hits	628	15th	4th
Runs	414	17th	4th
Base on Balls	270	18th	2nd
Strikeouts per Nine Innings	9.0	7th	2nd
Strikeout-to-Walk Ratio	3.07	15th	1st
Earned Run Average	2.95	17th	2nd

BIRK'S POWER TRIP
After hitting three home runs in his first 47 games, Aggie sophomore second baseman RYNE BIRK has experienced a power surge, hitting seven home runs in the last 13 games. The tally includes two home runs in the second game of the South Carolina series, one home run in each game of the abbreviated Ole Miss series and a dinger in last Thursday's quarterfinal win against Vanderbilt at the SEC Tournament.

This season, Birk is hitting .289 with 50 runs, 11 doubles, two triples, 10 home runs and 35 RBI in 59 games.

For his career, Birk is batting .295 with 71 runs, 16 doubles, four triples, 12 home runs, 53 RBI and seven stolen bases in 99 games.

MEN IN BLACK
The Aggies have a new black uniform in their wardrobe for the 2015 season. The squad is only permitted to wear the jerseys for games in which they are trying to complete a series sweep. They have had the opportunity to don the black unis on eight occasions this season, going 7-1. The uniforms have been especially friendly to the pitching staff that owns a 2.59 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 68 strikeouts in 73.0 innings of work in the look. The Aggies were unable to wear black jerseys in their series finale at Kentucky as the Wildcats elected to wear black in the second game of the doubleheader.

PROTECTED THE HOMEFRONT
The Aggies finished the home campaign with a 34-7 record. Offensively, the Aggies hit .323 at home with six players logging batting averages of .300 or higher. MITCHELL NAU (.401), NICK BANKS (.401), HUNTER MELTON (.378) and LOGAN TAYLOR (.359) are all batting .350 or higher. The Aggies outslugged the opponents on Olsen Field with a 52-17 edge in home runs and all 10 of Taylor's dingers are at Blue Bell Park. Banks (36), Taylor (35), RONNIE GIDEON (32) and Nau (31) all logged more than 30 RBI at the friendly confines.

WINNING WAYS
The Aggies are guaranteed their ninth consecutive winning season. The Maroon and White's 49 wins are the most since the 1999 campaign when A&M finished 52-18 in a College World Series campaign. At 18-10 in league action, the Aggies recorded their first winning season in the SEC.

SCHLOTTMANN: THE TESTED LEFTY
Junior TY SCHLOTTMANN has been one of the Aggies most tested performers in the bullpen. Schlottmann leads the team in appearances out of the bullpen with 31 and he has inherited the most runners in 2015. During the season, he has stranded 24 of the 31 runners he has inherited, for solid 77.4% percent left on base. On the season, he is 3-1 with a 3.96 ERA and 23 strikeouts in 25.0 innings.

For his career, Schlottmann ranks 15th on A&M's list for appearances with 64. He is 3-3 with two saves, a 2.79 ERA and 52 strikeouts in 61.2innings. Last year, he had a breakout campaign in the bullpen, logging two saves and a 2.59 with 26 strikeouts over 31.1 innings in 24 appearances. he held opponents to a .226 batting average as one of the Aggies' top southpaws out of the bullpen.

VINSON: THE GO-TO NORTHPAW
Junior ANDREW VINSON is on pace to shatter the A&M career record for most appearances. With 32 appearances last season and 33 to date in 2015, the right-hander is up to 81 for his career and needs 23 appearances to equal the school record of 103 set by Kyle Thebeau (2006-09). Vinson currently ranks seventh on the A&M career list, one behind No. 6 Jason Meyer (82 - 2004-07) and two behind No. 5 Kyle Nicholson (2004-07).

Seventy-nine of Vinson's 81 appearances are out of the bullpen, with his only career starts coming last weekend at the SEC Tournament and against Coastal Carolina in the regional. In three seasons, Vinson is 9-5 with seven saves, a 2.29 ERA, .215 opponent batting average and 106 strikeouts in 118.0 innings. His career WHIP is a solid 1.04. His career ERA currently ranks seventh on the Aggies' all-time list.

This year, Vinson is 5-2 with five saves, a 1.33 ERA, .198 opponent batting average, 0.90 WHIP and 60 strikeouts in 61.0 innings. His current ERA ranks sixth on Texas A&M's single-season list. He's has been tough as nails in 31 appearances out of the bullpen, going 4-1 with five saves, a 1.07 ERA, .191 opponent batting average, 0.83 WHIP and 51 strikeouts in 50.1 innings of relief.

LOOKING FOR THEIR FIFTH 50
The Aggies are one win from the fifth 50-win campaign in school history. Texas A&M's first 50-win season came in 1988 when the Aggies went 52-15. They topped the mark the following season when they posted what still stands as the school record for victories in a 58-7 season. Texas A&M also went 53-11 in 1993 and 52-18 in 1999.

NINTH-INNING LOCKDOWN
The Aggies are 42-0 when leading after eight innings. In 54.1 innings worth of ninth inning baseball, the A&M pitching staff has allowed only 13 runs, 11 earned. The Aggies own a 1.82 ERA and .213 opponent batting average in the ninth inning of games. Only six of the 13 ninth-inning runs came in games decided by two or fewer runs, with three of them coming in a 9-7 loss to South Carolina.

RYAN HENDRIX has worked in the ninth inning on 11 occasions, registering a 0.82 ERA and .220 opponent batting average. He has fanned 12 of the 45 batters he has faced. ANDREW VINSON has worked in the ninth inning eight times, posting a 1.12 ERA and .241 opponent batting average.

SUSTAINED EXCELLENCE
The Texas A&M Aggies are one of only eight schools to appear in each of the last nine NCAA Division I Baseball Championships. The Maroon and White's nine-season NCAA postseason string is the third-longest in the SEC trailing only Arkansas (14 years) and Vanderbilt (10 years). It's also the second-longest active string among Texas schools, trailing only Rice (21 years).
Active Streaks of Consecutive NCAA Championship Appearances

1.	Miami (Fla.)	43
2.	Florida State	38
3.	Cal State Fullerton	24
4.	Rice	21
5.	Arkansas	14
6.	Virginia	12
7.	Vanderbilt	10
8.	TEXAS A&M	9

REGIONAL GAME SEVENS
• The Aggies played in their NCAA record ninth Regional Game Seven (under the Super Regional format instituted in 1999). Rice ranks second with seven. Cal State Fullerton, Clemson, Florida State, Miami, Pepperdine, Texas and Vanderbilt with five apiece.
• A&M is 6-3 in Game Sevens.
• This was the fifth time the Aggies have come out of the losers bracket, improving to 3-2 in completing the regional comeback. They won in 1999 against Long Beach State and in 2007 against Louisiana and losing at Miami in 2010 and vs. Texas in 2014).
• The Aggies are 5-1 in Game Sevens on Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park.

REGIONAL HERO ROLL CALL
• NICK BANKS - Batted .333 in the regional with three runs, one double, two home runs and five RBI. Hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning against Texas Southern to give A&M a 2-0 lead. Reached base in all five plate appearances in 8-1 win against Coastal Carolina going 3-for-3 with two walks, one double, one home run, two runs and two RBI. Drove in game-winning run in California's first championship game with a 14th-inning single to give A&M a 4-3 victory.
• MICHAEL BARASH - Served as catcher for 48.1 of 52.1 innings over a four-day span. Threw out two of three attempted base stealers on the weekend. Hit a go-ahead single in California's first championship game on Sunday and plated the first run of the game in A&M's regional-clinching,3-1, win with a sacrifice fly.
• MARK ECKER - Started the season by going 0-0 with seven saves and an 0.00 ERA in his first 14 outings, but struggled down the stretch going 1-2 with one save and a 7.71 ERA in nine appearances between April 18 and the beginning of the College Station Regional. In California's first championship game, he entered the game with bases loaded and two outs in the seventh inning of a 2-2 game a blew strike three past Cal's top hitter, Devin Pearson, to get out of the inning. The only run he would allow in his 3.1 innings of work would be on a sacrifice fly that followed LOGAN TAYLOR losing a ball in the lights for a triple.
• JASON FREEMAN - After not recording an out since April 28, Freeman was thrust into the thick of the fight entering the game to pitch the 13th inning of California's first championship game on Sunday. He tip-toed around one hit and two walks while striking out two Golden Bears to pick up the win.
• RONNIE GIDEON - Trailing 3-2 in the top of the ninth in California's first championship game, he plated the tying run with a pinch-hit double. Later in the game would make a leaping diving to tag on California's leadoff hitter Alex Knapp less than 10 feet from home to end the game.
• RYAN HENDRIX - Despite eventually yielding the game-winning home run in the bottom of the 14th in Saturday's epic 2-1 battle, he was heroic in his 6.2 innings of work. Struck out 12 of the 28 batters he faced. Allowed one run on five hits and one walk. Put up blank frames in five innings where a Cal run would've ended the game before relinquishing the game-winner in the 14th.
• MATT KENT - Most Outstanding Player of the College Station Regional. Logged a 2-0 record with a 0.64 ERA and .224 opponent batting average in two starts. Allowed just one run on 11 hits and three walks while striking out 14 in 14.0 innings of work. Held Texas Southern scoreless for 7.0 innings while equaling a career-high with nine strikeouts. Three days later he pitched the Aggies to a win in the regional championship game, yielding just one run on five hits and two walks while striking out five in 7.0 innings.
• BLAKE KOPETSKY - Two-way player. In one of his two regional at-bats, he tripled and scored a run in an 8-1 win against Coastal Carolina. In A&M's 4-3 win over California in the Golden Bears' first championship game, Kopetsky entered the game with bases loaded and retired the only batter he faced, inducing a grounder to first base that HUNTER MELTON fielded and fired home for the second out. MARK ECKER would strike out the next batter to continue the escape.
• GRAYSON LONG - Despite not having his best stuff, he battled through 6.2 innings to keep the Aggies in the game, allowing one run on 10 hits and one walk while striking out four in A&M's 2-1 loss to California.
• HUNTER MELTON - Batted .333 (7-for-21) at the regional, including one double and two RBI. Batted 3-for-4 in Monday's regional-clinching win, singling and scoring the game's first run in the second and singling to drive in an insurance run in the eighth.
• JONATHAN MORONEY - Doubled a came around to score a go-ahead run in the seventh of California's first championship game on Sunday, giving A&M a 2-1 advantage. Drew two walks and scored the go-ahead run in A&M's regional-clinching win on Monday.
• MITCHELL NAU - Led the Aggies in batting average (.429), runs (4), hits (9), doubles (3) and on-base percentage (.500) at the regional. Went 2-for-3 with a double and two runs in the 5-0 win over Texas Southern. Logged three hits in California's first championship game on Sunday and scored the winning run in the 12th, hustling to touch home before LOGAN TAYLOR was tagged out at third for the final out.
• LOGAN NOTTEBROK - Batted .353 (6-for-17) in the regional with one run, one home run and three RBI. Hit a two-run home run in the sixth against Coastal Carolina to give A&M a 5-0 lead and give starter Andrew Vinson breathing room. With A&M trailing 3-2 in the ninth of California's first championship game on Sunday night, he singled with one out to put the tying run aboard. RONNIE GIDEON would follow with a pinch-hit single to send the game to extra innings. In Monday's regional-clinching win, he flashed the leather at the hot corner with seven assists, including starting one double play.
• KYLE SIMONDS - After struggling in a starters' roll after early success as a reliever, Simonds returned to make an impact in the bullpen. Earned his first save since opening day in the Aggies' regional-clinching win Monday against California, retiring all six batters he faced.
• TYLER STUBBLEFIELD - After missing the first four months of the season with a knee injury, he made just his third appearance of the year and his first start in 364 days, holding California to one run on four hits and one walk while striking out four in 5.0 innings of California's first championship game on Sunday.
• ANDREW VINSON - Earned a win and a save in his two regional appearances. Picked up a save in the opener against Texas Southern, striking out three of the six batters he faced in two innings of work. Claimed a win two days later with 7.2 blank frames against Coastal Carolina, striking out eight Chants. Finished the tournament with 9.2 shutout innings, scattering six hits and three walks while striking out 11.

PITCHING STEPS UP AT REGIONAL
The Texas A&M pitching staff logged a 4-1 record with a 1.20 ERA and .231 batting average in the Aggies' five regional games. The staff allowed just seven runs on 42 hits and 16 walks while striking out 52 in 52.1 innings of work. The Maroon and White notched a 3.25 strikeout-to-walk ratio and 1.11 WHIP and allowed just seven extra-base hits on the weekend.

The Aggies' starters logged a 3-0 record with a 0.81 ERA yielding just three runs on 30 hits and eight walks while striking out 30 in 33.1 innings of work. They averaged 6.2 innings per start.

KENT'S POSTSEASON RUN
Reinserted into the starting rotation for the SEC Tournament after spending the last four weeks of the regular-season in the bullpen, MATT KENT has been on quite a postseason run. He was named the Most Outstanding Player of the College Station Regional and was named to the All-Tournament Team at both the SEC Tournament and the College Station Regional.

At the SEC Tournament, Kent outdueled the SEC Pitcher of the Year Carson Fulmer in a 6-1 win over No. 9 Vanderbilt. In the win over the Commodores, he pitched A&M's only complete-game of the season, allowing just one run on four hits and one walk while striking out six in 9.0 innings. At the College Station Regional, Kent earned two wins in a four-day span. Against Texas Southern, he scattered six hits and one walk while matching a career-high with nine strikeouts in 7.0 scoreless innings. In the regional-clinching win against California, he allowed one run on five hits and two walks while striking out five over 7.0 innings.

In three postseason starts, Kent owns a 3-0 record with a 0.78 ERA and .190 opponent batting average. He has allowed just two runs on 15 hits and four walks while striking out 20 in 23.2 innings.

UP NEXT
The winner of the Fort Worth Super Regional will play the winner of the Baton Rouge Super Regional (Louisiana-Lafayette vs. LSU) in the first round of the College World Series.