Rising to the Moment: Kaeden Kent
Jun 18, 2024 | Baseball
Despite the first 7-0 start in program history in the NCAA Tournament, the journey has not been easy for the No. 3 Texas A&M baseball team, who has overcome key injuries to be in the driver’s seat for advancing to the College World Series Championship Series.
After a grueling 55-game regular season slate plus a trio of wins at the Bryan-College Station Regional, the Aggies were fully loaded heading into the Bryan-College Station Super Regional against Oregon. Then adversity struck as superstar right fielder Braden Montgomery was lost for the season in game one, followed by standout left-hander Shane Sdao in game two.
The Maroon & White rallied to win game one against the Ducks but faced a 7-2 deficit post the Sdao injury and it seemed as if Oregon would force a decisive game three. After Texas A&M plated a pair in the fourth, the offense exploded for nine runs in the seventh to not only take the lead but blow the game wide open.
In the postseason, the lights shine bright and legends are born. For the Aggies, the legend of Kaeden Kent was born in that famed seventh inning against the Ducks. The utility man for the Maroon & White recorded the only two hits in the frame with the latter being a grand slam that will live in Aggie baseball lore for centuries.
“I got a 2-2 heater,” said Kent following the game. “I’ve never hit a baseball and been able to take in the moment. It was super special. Rounding third, I was pointing to the fans because they played the biggest role in that inning. It was so special to play in front of them, considering everything they have done for us and have supported us through a lot.”
Following limited playing time during the regular season, Kent has been thrust into an everyday role due to the Montgomery injury. In the last four games, three of them being starts, Kent is batting .437 (7-for-16) and has driven in nine runs. Not only has the sophomore been productive at the plate but his ability to play any position on the infield is where his true value lies.
“He’s a winning player,” said Head Coach Jim Schlossnagle. “His ability to play different positions, his willingness to play different positions even though I think in his mind he’d like to pick one and I’m sure he eventually will. But I think his value in college baseball is going to help him have value in professional baseball because rosters are small and guys get hurt. He’s a ballplayer, he’s a throwback player. He’s so instinctual on a baseball field, you don’t have to tell him where to be in a backup position and he can go from second base to third and know exactly what he’s supposed to do at that position. He does things on a field that most fans don’t recognize that helps a team win.”
Kent has been a part of two key double plays during this run, one against the Ducks and one Monday night against Kentucky. Trailing 7-4 with the bases juiced in game two against the Ducks, Kent made a nice flip to Ali Camarillo at shortstop to kickstart an inning ending double play to end the threat.
After a costly throwing error put a pair of Wildcats on in the sixth inning, the sophomore, who shifted from second to third due to a Jace LaViolette injury, made a great backhanded stop, stepped on the bag at third and fired a missile to first to end the frame and keep Kentucky at bay.
While many others have stepped up for the Maroon & White during this historic postseason run amid key injuries, Kent has shined bright and is quickly becoming a postseason legend in Aggieland.
“We have each other's backs and we play for each other,” said Kent following the win over Kentucky. “I mean, we have full trust in everybody in that dugout. So, it's amazing when a team can come together like we are and enjoy being around each other so much where we can win ball games.”
Kent and the Aggies return to the diamond at Charles Schwab Field tomorrow night at 6 p.m. as they look to punch their ticket to the College World Series Final for the first time in school history.
