Aggies Look To Gain Ground In SEC With Road Trip To Tenneessee

The no. 18 Aggies travel to Knoxville with a chance to maintain their SEC contender status against no. 12 Tennessee to prove.

Jim Schlossnagle doesn't let his team complain for long. There will always be loss, but if that is the motto, it cannot be exaggerated.

Texas A&M Aggies baseball rebounded from back-to-back losses to top-ranked LSU to begin Southeastern Conference play Sunday afternoon. Ten innings after the young transfer, Stanley Tucker produced the heroics that earned the no. 18 gave the Aggies an 8-6 win as A&M traded punches for an 8-7 win with the Rices.

Any win will mean something to A&M this season. In fact, most SEC teams need these "small wins" to compete in the NCAA Tournament. But contenders and contenders are separated by wins over top-ranked opponents, and A&M must try to match that feat against No. 12, Tennessee, this weekend in Knoxville.

"It's going to be a battle," Schlossangle said in a media release on Wednesday. "They had a weekend that didn't go their way and I'm sure they're excited to get home."

A shot can decide the outcome of a three-game series. Both of last season's top five lists shined with their best, finding consistency with their no. 2 picks in the rotation and struggling to find a good day 3 prospect. Last weekend the Volunteers were beaten 2 21 Missouri, 23-6 on the road.

Getting through six frames is all that matters to Agee. Nathan Dettmer allowed four runs against LSU, but struck out four Tigers and went six innings. Troy Wansing and Chris Cortez both struggled to control the game, leading to a disappointing afternoon. Wansing lasted just 2.2 innings while Cortez was retired after allowing five runs and five walks.

The Schlossnalge is currently changing its Sunday programme. Freshman left-hander Justin Lampkin will get the call in the series finale after impressing as a midweek starter. Lampkin, a native of Corpus Christier, boasts a team-low ERA (1.33) and is third in innings pitched (20.1) and strikeouts (25).

"Lampkin has really been the most consistent starting pitcher in his chances," Schlossnagle said.

As for Cortez, Schlossnagle believes his time in the bullpen was the spark that fueled his success as a rookie. Heading to the College World Series last season, Cortez was the best hitter thanks to his 95 mph fastball and leadoff combination.

"Hopefully Chris (Cortes) can come out and give us something like that," Schlossnagle said. “I don't see him as a starting pitcher this year or in his career. But at the moment it is a clear need for both parties."

In a way, Schlossnagle will also be facing a former patron in his own backyard. Tony Vitello is coming to St. Louis of baseball royalty thanks to his father, Greg Vitello, but his talent scouting influence served the Aggies' secondary coach well during his time at TCU.

Vitello was hired as the scouting coordinator in 2011 and was instrumental in acquiring the talent needed to develop the Horned Frogs in Omaha. TCU made four straight trips to the College World Series from 2014 to 2017, mostly with players recruited by the current Vols manager.

"His success as a head coach doesn't surprise me," Schlossnagle said. "His father was a legendary and very successful high school coach, so growing up as a coach, he always had a good idea of what his team and program should be like, and it definitely paid off."

Dettmer will take the call Thursday at Lindsey Nelson Stadium, while Wansing will take the mound Saturday afternoon. On the other side, junior right-hander Chase Dolander and sophomore right-hander Chase Burns are two fastballs that will quickly kill the day.

Dolander has had his share of struggles, but has a respectable 3.90 ERA with 45 strikeouts. Burns, whose fastball hits 98 miles per hour, is second in the conference with 51 strikeouts.

Rookie quarterback Jace LaViolette said last week's offensive loss Friday against LSU better prepared the team for a quality field. Tiger ace Paul Skeens struck out 11 and walked just four in 6.1 innings.

"You have to control what you can control and you can't look at it like, 'Oh, I'm going to meet a strong hand or I'm going to meet this guy, because if you look at it that way,' I'm like, 'I'm already beaten,' " LaViolet said. "You have to look at it like, 'OK, sure, this guy has a strong arm and he can throw really hard, but go ahead and know what you're going to get.' If you do those three things, I think you're going to be really successful."

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