The Schlossnagle Effect: How Texas A&M Became a College World Series Contender

COLLEGE STATION – – The clock strikes 3:30 a.m. as Jim Schlossnagle’s head pops up from his pillow. An alarm hasn’t gone off and there’s hours earlier than the solar will rise, however he can’t sleep.

It is a cool June morning, however Schlossnagle’s face is dripping in sweat, the soppy sheets leaving a mark on his mattress inside Texas A&M’s Resort and Convention middle. 

Schlossnagle has an excessive amount of on his thoughts to relaxation.

Maybe it is the close to 200-mile transfer southeast his household is ready to make within the coming days. Perhaps it is about discovering a solution to construct a workers. Schlossnagle additionally must promote his message to present gamers on the roster and hope they stick round for an additional season. The identical goes for gamers searching for a second likelihood within the switch portal.

Looking back, Schlossnagle is aware of what’s retaining him awake. After 18 years, a number of convention titles and 5 Faculty World Collection appearances with TCU, he was prepared for a brand new problem. A&M athletic director Ross Bjork got here calling and the timing was proper for a change.

Schlossnagle has at all times been impatient. Even at his introductory Aggies press convention, the coach didn’t hesitate to map out near-unfathomable objectives for a program that was coming off a 9-21 convention report.

“I wish to be in Omaha subsequent season,” Schlossnagle mentioned on June 10 at Kyle Subject’s Corridor of Champions. “However there’s a variety of work to be finished. I do know Aggieland and the Aggie Nation, I’m certain they’ll need that this yr and so do I.”

To some, Schlossnagle’s teaching type is likely to be unorthodox and against-the-grain. However with an opportunity to make his 12 months 1 purpose a actuality, he wasn’t keen to take any danger Saturday afternoon within the backside of the ninth inning with one among school baseball’s greatest hitters on deck.

Simply three hundred and sixty six days after Schlossnagle set a brand new commonplace for this system, the purpose was achieved. A&M baseball is again to its glory days. It’s additionally heading again to the Faculty World Collection for the primary time since 2017 after sweeping Louisville in 4-3 vogue Saturday.

In entrance of a mixed 13,000-plus followers in two days, A&M punched it ticket to the large dance of the midwest.

The Aggies did it their manner: Schloss’ manner. The nation watched on because the workforce that misplaced a sequence to Ivy League Penn in February grew to become the primary program to prep for a nationwide title.

“To be the place we had been three or 4 months in the past, to sit down in right here and prepare to hop on a aircraft to go to Omaha, I’m super-proud of them,” Schlossnagle mentioned. “We’re not completed and now we have to go get some relaxation and prepare to play some extra baseball.”

Calling on coaches, speaking to transfers

The very first thing Schlossnagle wanted to do earlier than speaking to gamers on their roles with the membership was to construct a training workers. Reaching into his Rolodex of contacts, he referred to as pitching coach Nate Yeskie from Arizona. He reached out to LSU’s Nolan Cain to assist in recruiting. Schlossnagle additionally reached out to hitting coach Michael Earley from Arizona State.

Subsequent got here constructing the lineup. Standouts like infielders Trevor Werner and Ryan Targac weren’t leaving. Neither was outfielder Jordan Thompson. Nonetheless, A&M was in a gap with the departure of two of its greatest hitters in Will Frizzell and Hunter Coleman.

Schlossnagle hit the switch portal to fill the gaps. He added a shortstop in Kole Kaler (Hawaii) and fortified first base with Jack Moss (Arizona State). He additionally added outfielder Dylan Rock, who was coming off a profession season at UTSA. 

On the mound, Micah Dallas (Texas Tech) was set to improve the rotation whereas Jacob Palish (Stanford) would management video games from the bullpen. The Aggies additionally added catcher Troy Claunch from Oregon State. Very like Palish, Claunch has been to the promised land of TD Ameritrade Park, successful a title with the Beavers in 2018. 

He was voted on as captain by his teammates and bestowed the No. 12 in honor of The twelfth Man custom.

“He’s been the core of this factor,” Schlossnagle mentioned of his catcher. “He calms the storm on each offense and protection and he’s a super-elite participant. We’re so glad he’s an Aggie.”

Even with the transfers and high-profile teaching workers, observers weren’t shopping for. Within the preliminary preseason rating, the Aggies had been projected to complete useless final within the SEC West and thirteenth within the convention.

Houston highlights a turnaround

Because the bus rolled into the parking zone from downtown Houston in early March, Schlossnagle went to his workplace and slammed the door behind him. He pouted for a bit, questioning when the spark would arrive, when the consistency would come. The Aggies had simply picked up their first sequence win over Santa Clara, solely to folllow up by being shutdown by Houston 8-2.

A pissed off Schlossnagle took a deep breath and mulled over the loss. The preliminary thought: “I can’t let these boys down,” referring to those that left different packages to hitch his. They didn’t join dropping baseball and neither did Schlossnagle.

One thing modified after that. The strategy to video games had been totally different. So was the ambiance within the clubhouse amongst gamers. Ultimately, it transitioned to the scoreboard.

The Aggies picked up a monumental sequence win over LSU on the highway. After dropping back-to-back sequence to Auburn and Alabama, that grew to become a factor of the previous. A&M by no means misplaced its footing, successful the following eight sequence, together with big-time victories over then-No. 10 Georgia, No. 3 Arkansas and defending nationwide champ Mississippi State.

“We knew we had particular children,” Schlossnagle mentioned. “We knew that by the top of the autumn. I knew that guys who had been returning gamers had been super-talented and so they wished to win. I knew they had been just about keen to surrender themselves for the chance to win.”

A&M would win the SEC West and be one among 16 host cities for the event. The Aggies discovered a solution to defeat Oral Roberts and Louisiana earlier than taking up Schlossnagle’s former employer in TCU. A seven-run ninth inning gave A&M the lead and an eventual 15-9 win.

Werner mentioned the Aggies had a sport plan earlier than the beginning of the event, hoping to go on “one-game win streaks” moderately than trying deep into the longer term.

Stated Targac: “It is about trusting what we do and never trying too far forward. We have performed this sport one pitch at a time.”

Omaha-bound

The completed product of Schlossnagle’s plan was on show for 2 days at Blue Bell Park in opposition to the Cardinals. Very like the season itself, the lows got here early and followers waited for the excessive factors late.

However that is the Aggies baseball that has rocked Olsen Subject all season lengthy. The end result of a season’s work hit its stride Friday night within the seventh inning when Thompson smacked a two-run house run over the left-centerfield wall to tie the sport at 4-4.

Those that had been introduced right here from elsewhere factored into the sweep as properly. Kaler turned a fast double play on Friday night time to maintain the rating tied Within the ninth to offer A&M an opportunity. Palish labored out of bother beginning within the eighth, permitting simply two hits by way of two innings.

Residing as much as the nickname “Clutch Claunch,” the Aggies catcher performed the position of hero with a game-winning single to offer A&M the 5-4 victory. A day later, he’d ship a strike right down to second base, catching Cardinals pinch-runner Chris Seng within the eighth to maintain Louisville out of scoring place. 

Rock put sufficient oomph on a fastball within the seventh inning to interrupt a 3-3 tie with a sacrifice fly. Moss, who hit .541 in each the rounds of the event, continued to shine on the plate, going 3 for six. Dallas struggled along with his fastball command, however did sufficient to restrict Louisville’s potent offense in 4 2/3 innings.

Schlossnagle had trusted freshman Brad Rudis to get the saves within the Faculty Station Regional, however strain was on with a runner at first. On a 3-2 depend, he went again Palish to get the punch out and shut issues down. He’d get the strikeout on Ben Metzinger after which retired Cardinals’ prime hitter Dalton Speeding to fly out deep to centerfield.

“The pitch that Jacob is most comfy throwing in nearly any depend is his slider, his breaking ball,” Schlossnagle mentioned. “I simply wished to go proper to that and alter the look and see what occurred.”

Six pitches later, Palish received catcher Jack Payton to strike out and Blue Bell erupted. The third base dugout engulfed the mound as a canine pile shaped. Followers screamed “Omaha! Omaha!” whereas Schlossnagle slapped the A&M emblem on an outsized ticket stub.

“Coming into (the season), we knew the items had been there,” Werner mentioned. “We simply wanted someone to carry all people collectively.”

A completed product

Louisville coach Dan McDonnell has recognized Schlossnagle for many years. The 2 crossed paths whereas Schlossnagle was on workers at Tulane and McDonnell was teaching at The Citadel.

McDonnell knew getting into the week what the Aggies had been able to. Largely, that’s because of the impression Schlossnagle has made at each cease. He did it at UNLV throughout the early 2000s. It was on show at TCU for practically twenty years as properly.

“You guys have one thing particular right here,” McDonnell mentioned of the Aggies. “That is my first time right here in 30 years, and that is particular, that is neat. This fires me up, as a result of that is what we’re attempting to do.”

Schlossnagle nonetheless talks about these sleepless nights from final June. He’s sweating, however it’s possible because of the warmth reaching triple-digits over the previous month moderately than his nerves getting the very best of him.

Attending to Omaha was the purpose for A&M. Now comes the arduous half: successful. The Aggies are 0-6 since 1993 of their three appearances on the Faculty World Collection.

Betting in opposition to Schlossnagle’s Aggies might be a horrible choice as of late. These in Aggieland comprehend it to be true. Because the aircraft boards for Nebraska, Schlossnagle possible is prepping for an additional spherical a stressed sleep and early mornings.

He’ll take it although it if results in a nationwide title. July was meant for snoozing anyway.

Stated Schlossnagle: “(Corridor of Fame soccer) coach John Robinson informed one time, “It’s essential decelerate.” I do know we had a terrific season, however I do not wish to decelerate. I wish to win a nationwide title and do it sooner moderately than later.” 

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