Friday, June 10
Bryan-College Station
7:30 PM
Texas A&M
41-18
5
vs
4
Louisville
42-20-1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Louisville
0
3
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
4
10
0
Texas A&M
1
0
1
0
0
0
2
0
1
5
11
2
Claunch Delivers Olsen Magic After Midnight in 5-4 Victory over Louisville
Jun 11, 2022 | Baseball
BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The No. 7 Texas A&M baseball team is one win away from a trip to Omaha following Friday's 5-4 walk-off victory over No. 9 Louisville in the opening game of the College Station Super Regional.
Graduate catcher Troy Claunch delivered Olsen Magic after midnight for the second time this season.
Prior to the timely hit, Trevor Werner drew a leadoff walk, Jack Moss singled and Ryan Targac got hit by a pitch, setting the scene for the California native to drive in the winning run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth.
Jordan Thompson led the way at the plate going 2-for-4 and accounting for a run, three RBI, a walk and launching his fifth home run of the season in the seventh to tie the game.
Graduate transfer Jacob Palisch (6-3), starting pitcher Nathan Dettmer and Joseph Menefee combined for nine strikeouts on the night, including seven shutout innings.
TOP AGGIE PERFORMERS
Jacob Palisch: 2.0 P, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Jordan Thompson: 2-for-4, R, 3 RBI, BB, HR
Jack Moss: 3-for-6, R, 2B
GAME SUMMARY
B1| With one out, A&M loaded the bases courtesy of a double by Jack Moss and a pair of walks issued to Dylan Rock and Austin Bost. Troy Claunch was hit by a pitch, allowing Moss to touch home. A&M 1, UL 0
T2| UL responded immediately by plating three. A leadoff single, one-out single and walk issued to Isaac Humphrey set the stage for a 2-RBI single by Logan Beard, followed by a sac-fly by Ben Bianco to plate the Cardinals' third run of the frame. UL 3, A&M 1
T3| A two-out double by Brett Minnich and single through the left side by Jordan Thompson allowed the Aggies to cut the Cardinals deficit in half. UL 3, A&M 2
T5| With one out, the Cardinals capitalized on an A&M fielding error and a double by Ben Metzinger to extend their lead to two. UL 4, A&M 2
T7| A leadoff single by Troy Claunch allowed a one out, two-run tater by Thompson to knot the game at four apiece. A&M 4, UL 4
B9| The Aggies loaded the bases with Werner drawing a leadoff walk, Austin Bost single and Ryan Targac being hit by a pitch. With two outs, Claunch singled through the right side, sending Werner home and propelling A&M past the Cardinals. A&M 5, UL 4
UP NEXT
The Aggies return to Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park on Saturday at 2 p.m. for game two against Louisville and a chance to punch their ticket to the College World Series.
FOLLOW THE AGGIES
Visit 12thman.com for more information on Texas A&M baseball. Fans can keep up to date with the A&M baseball team on Facebook, Instagram, and on Twitter by following @AggieBaseball.
POSTGAME NOTES
Game & Series Notes
Louisville Notes
Texas A&M Notes
POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCES
TEXAS A&M QUOTES
Head Coach Jim Schlossnagle
Opening Statement…
"Great ball game. Great atmosphere. Nothing surprises me from our team anymore, there is nothing else we could possibly do for the rest of the year that would surprise me. To leave 17 guys on I thought we had some good at-bats. (Jared) Poland did an awesome job and all the guys that they brought in seemed to make a pitch. Jordan Thompson's homer was outstanding, I am super proud of him the way he has handled this year and stuck with the process of having himself ready to play when called upon. Troy Claunch always saves his best at-bats till the end of the game, and there is no one else we would've wanted up there more than him against (Michael) Prosecky. This was one game, and we are glad to have won it, but we have a long way to go to advance."
On the grit that the team has…
"I told the guys before the game that the game belongs to them. I will make a few moves and decide when to bring a pitcher out, but the games belong to these players. I try to encourage them and stay out of their way, but nothing they do surprises me. Just when you think they have taken another punch. There are so many teams that I have either seen or been a part of where you take that punch and fold. These guys just move on to the next play and I think the 12th man play a big part in that. They won't let us get down."
On the team's identity…
"We can't seem to get a starting pitcher past the fifth inning. Maybe Micah Dallas will be able to do it for us tomorrow. Our identity is our identity. Hopefully we will get somebody to catch fire. I want to give a lot of credit to Louisville; they have a very good offensive team. Somebody asked me before the game if there was a team in the SEC to compare them to. We didn't play Tennessee, but I would say they have the power of Ole Miss and their offense speed and bunt game is similar to Louisiana. They have a very good club."
Graduate catcher Troy Claunch
On his walk-off at-bat…
"I was trying to slow myself down and trust my breathwork that we do all the time. In that situation, I had already faced him, and I was pretty comfortable because I had seen every pitch that he has. When he went first pitch breaking ball hitting (Ryan) Targac I was fairly confident he wasn't going to come back with another off-speed pitch. I was sitting in the fast ball and got one I liked."
Junior centerfielder Jordan Thompson
On his home run…
"Not going to lie, I had to do a double-take. I don't think I have hit a ball to that part of the ballpark out. I have had a couple on the wall occasionally during batting practice, but never out. It was a blast to see it go out."
LOUISVILLE QUOTES
Head Coach Dan McDonnell
Opening statement...
"Congratulations to Texas A&M. Obviously they're a really good team. That's a great game. It's unfortunate that we had to lose. That's the challenge of being the visitors. Not to mention the crowd that you guys got and the atmosphere, but just not getting the last at-bat. I'm proud of this guy to my right (Jared Poland). He competed and gave us a chance. We put together some offense early, but we fell a little flat there at the end. That's a credit to Texas A&M and the obviously talented bullpen that they've got."
On the performance from senior RHP Jared Poland…
"He gave us a chance. I didn't think that his breaking ball command was great. He was probably starting to feel it there late, and he threw a few more pitches than he would have liked. We talk about getting off the field. Just getting off the field, it doesn't have to be pretty. I was proud of him today because he got off the field. They (Texas A&M) were one hit away from busting this thing open early, and he kept us in it. He allowed our offense to get it going a little bit, and that made it a great game."
On the strength of the Cardinal bullpen...
"I think that we're very similar to A&M. They like to go to that bullpen, and they trust it. That's the way that we are. I made maybe a few too many trips, I'm not used to making that many trips to the mound. We keep telling these guys that we trust them, and they gave us a chance. It was fun to see, because they (Texas A&M) were one big swing away from putting a big crooked number up, and our bullpen kept us in it."
Senior RHP Jared Poland
On the top of A&M's batting lineup…
"The top of their lineup is definitely really talented. I wish I made them earn it a little more. I don't know how many walks I had exactly, but I feel like I was out of the zone a lot. I think that they're all really talented, and they didn't really chase off-speed that was out of the zone. That's a credit to them too. I thought they looked good."
On the support from his teammates…
"In between innings I had several teammates come up to me and tell me to keep going. Just little stuff like that. Just knowing that the team has my back is a key factor that made me want to go back out there and do my best for the team."
Graduate catcher Troy Claunch delivered Olsen Magic after midnight for the second time this season.
Prior to the timely hit, Trevor Werner drew a leadoff walk, Jack Moss singled and Ryan Targac got hit by a pitch, setting the scene for the California native to drive in the winning run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth.
Jordan Thompson led the way at the plate going 2-for-4 and accounting for a run, three RBI, a walk and launching his fifth home run of the season in the seventh to tie the game.
Graduate transfer Jacob Palisch (6-3), starting pitcher Nathan Dettmer and Joseph Menefee combined for nine strikeouts on the night, including seven shutout innings.
TOP AGGIE PERFORMERS
Jacob Palisch: 2.0 P, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Jordan Thompson: 2-for-4, R, 3 RBI, BB, HR
Jack Moss: 3-for-6, R, 2B
GAME SUMMARY
B1| With one out, A&M loaded the bases courtesy of a double by Jack Moss and a pair of walks issued to Dylan Rock and Austin Bost. Troy Claunch was hit by a pitch, allowing Moss to touch home. A&M 1, UL 0
T2| UL responded immediately by plating three. A leadoff single, one-out single and walk issued to Isaac Humphrey set the stage for a 2-RBI single by Logan Beard, followed by a sac-fly by Ben Bianco to plate the Cardinals' third run of the frame. UL 3, A&M 1
T3| A two-out double by Brett Minnich and single through the left side by Jordan Thompson allowed the Aggies to cut the Cardinals deficit in half. UL 3, A&M 2
T5| With one out, the Cardinals capitalized on an A&M fielding error and a double by Ben Metzinger to extend their lead to two. UL 4, A&M 2
T7| A leadoff single by Troy Claunch allowed a one out, two-run tater by Thompson to knot the game at four apiece. A&M 4, UL 4
B9| The Aggies loaded the bases with Werner drawing a leadoff walk, Austin Bost single and Ryan Targac being hit by a pitch. With two outs, Claunch singled through the right side, sending Werner home and propelling A&M past the Cardinals. A&M 5, UL 4
UP NEXT
The Aggies return to Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park on Saturday at 2 p.m. for game two against Louisville and a chance to punch their ticket to the College World Series.
FOLLOW THE AGGIES
Visit 12thman.com for more information on Texas A&M baseball. Fans can keep up to date with the A&M baseball team on Facebook, Instagram, and on Twitter by following @AggieBaseball.
POSTGAME NOTES
Game & Series Notes
- Texas A&M topped Louisville, 5-4, on a walk-off single from Troy Claunch to claim game one of the NCAA College Station Super Regional.
- Tonight's attendance of 6,732 marked the third-largest postseason crowd at Blue Bell Park.
- The Aggies are now 1-1 all-time against the Cardinals with both meetings coming in the NCAA Tournament.
- A&M is now 13-4 against teams ranked in the USA Today Coaches Top 25, including 8-3 against the top 10.
Louisville Notes
- Logan Beard tallied 13th multi-RBI game as he gave the Cardinals a 2-1 lead in the second on a two-RBI single to center.
- Dalton Rushing doubled in the seventh inning, extending his hit streak to 11 games.
- Cameron Masterman registered three hits, the most since recording three against Western Kentucky (4/26) and extended his hitting streak to six games.
- Ben Metzinger tied his career high in hits with three.
- Jared Poland fanned seven Aggies, marking his seventh game this season with 7-or-more strikeouts.
Texas A&M Notes
- As a team, the Maroon & White drew 10 walks, marking the seventh time with 10-or-more and second-straight game.
- Troy Claunch delivered the game-winning heroics for the second time this season on a bases-loaded single to right in the bottom of the ninth, giving him his 13th multi-RBI game and 19th multi-hit game of the season.
- Jordan Thompson tied the game in the bottom of the seventh with a two-run shot to left-center, his second of the tournament. Thompson was a catalyst on offense, driving in four runs, the most since plating four against South Carolina (5/6).
- Jack Moss extended his hitting streak to 10 and reached base streak to 18 as he doubled in the first inning. Moss went 3-for-6 at the plate and is currently hitting .600 in the NCAA Tournament (12-20). The sophomore registered his team-high 33rd multi-hit game of the season. He currently leads the Southeastern Conference in batting average at .391.
- Jacob Palisch earned his sixth victory of the season, tying him for the team lead. The southpaw closed out the final 2.0 innings and fanned one.
POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCES
TEXAS A&M QUOTES
Head Coach Jim Schlossnagle
Opening Statement…
"Great ball game. Great atmosphere. Nothing surprises me from our team anymore, there is nothing else we could possibly do for the rest of the year that would surprise me. To leave 17 guys on I thought we had some good at-bats. (Jared) Poland did an awesome job and all the guys that they brought in seemed to make a pitch. Jordan Thompson's homer was outstanding, I am super proud of him the way he has handled this year and stuck with the process of having himself ready to play when called upon. Troy Claunch always saves his best at-bats till the end of the game, and there is no one else we would've wanted up there more than him against (Michael) Prosecky. This was one game, and we are glad to have won it, but we have a long way to go to advance."
On the grit that the team has…
"I told the guys before the game that the game belongs to them. I will make a few moves and decide when to bring a pitcher out, but the games belong to these players. I try to encourage them and stay out of their way, but nothing they do surprises me. Just when you think they have taken another punch. There are so many teams that I have either seen or been a part of where you take that punch and fold. These guys just move on to the next play and I think the 12th man play a big part in that. They won't let us get down."
On the team's identity…
"We can't seem to get a starting pitcher past the fifth inning. Maybe Micah Dallas will be able to do it for us tomorrow. Our identity is our identity. Hopefully we will get somebody to catch fire. I want to give a lot of credit to Louisville; they have a very good offensive team. Somebody asked me before the game if there was a team in the SEC to compare them to. We didn't play Tennessee, but I would say they have the power of Ole Miss and their offense speed and bunt game is similar to Louisiana. They have a very good club."
Graduate catcher Troy Claunch
On his walk-off at-bat…
"I was trying to slow myself down and trust my breathwork that we do all the time. In that situation, I had already faced him, and I was pretty comfortable because I had seen every pitch that he has. When he went first pitch breaking ball hitting (Ryan) Targac I was fairly confident he wasn't going to come back with another off-speed pitch. I was sitting in the fast ball and got one I liked."
Junior centerfielder Jordan Thompson
On his home run…
"Not going to lie, I had to do a double-take. I don't think I have hit a ball to that part of the ballpark out. I have had a couple on the wall occasionally during batting practice, but never out. It was a blast to see it go out."
LOUISVILLE QUOTES
Head Coach Dan McDonnell
Opening statement...
"Congratulations to Texas A&M. Obviously they're a really good team. That's a great game. It's unfortunate that we had to lose. That's the challenge of being the visitors. Not to mention the crowd that you guys got and the atmosphere, but just not getting the last at-bat. I'm proud of this guy to my right (Jared Poland). He competed and gave us a chance. We put together some offense early, but we fell a little flat there at the end. That's a credit to Texas A&M and the obviously talented bullpen that they've got."
On the performance from senior RHP Jared Poland…
"He gave us a chance. I didn't think that his breaking ball command was great. He was probably starting to feel it there late, and he threw a few more pitches than he would have liked. We talk about getting off the field. Just getting off the field, it doesn't have to be pretty. I was proud of him today because he got off the field. They (Texas A&M) were one hit away from busting this thing open early, and he kept us in it. He allowed our offense to get it going a little bit, and that made it a great game."
On the strength of the Cardinal bullpen...
"I think that we're very similar to A&M. They like to go to that bullpen, and they trust it. That's the way that we are. I made maybe a few too many trips, I'm not used to making that many trips to the mound. We keep telling these guys that we trust them, and they gave us a chance. It was fun to see, because they (Texas A&M) were one big swing away from putting a big crooked number up, and our bullpen kept us in it."
Senior RHP Jared Poland
On the top of A&M's batting lineup…
"The top of their lineup is definitely really talented. I wish I made them earn it a little more. I don't know how many walks I had exactly, but I feel like I was out of the zone a lot. I think that they're all really talented, and they didn't really chase off-speed that was out of the zone. That's a credit to them too. I thought they looked good."
On the support from his teammates…
"In between innings I had several teammates come up to me and tell me to keep going. Just little stuff like that. Just knowing that the team has my back is a key factor that made me want to go back out there and do my best for the team."
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Palisch, Jacob (6-3)
L: Prosecky, Michael (2-1)
Batting:
2B: Metzinger, Ben 1 ; Rushing, Dalton 1 ; Masterman, Cameron 1
RBI: Metzinger, Ben 1 ; Beard, Logan 2 ; Bianco, Ben 1
SF: Bianco, Ben 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Knapczyk, Christian 1 ; Payton, Jack 1 ; Masterman, Cameron 1 ; Humphrey, Isaac 1
Batting:
2B: Moss, Jack 1 ; Minnich, Brett 1
HR: Thompson, Jordan 1
RBI: Claunch, Troy 2 ; Thompson, Jordan 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Werner, Trevor 1 ; Moss, Jack 1 ; Claunch, Troy 1 ; Minnich, Brett 1 ; Thompson, Jordan 1
SB: Thompson, Jordan 1
HBP: Rock, Dylan 1 ; Targac, Ryan 1 ; Claunch, Troy 1 ; Minnich, Brett 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
3
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF/INF
/ BaseballC
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RHP
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RHP
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LHP
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OF
/ Baseball
LHP
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OF
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INF
/ BaseballOF
/ BaseballINF/RHP
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