As Sunday afternoon rolled around, Texas A&M once again faced elimination from the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time this postseason. In what was an absolute pitchers’ duel, senior leadership by Blake Allemand, and another magician-like performance from Matt Kent, the Aggies defeated TCU 2-1 on a walk-off sacrifice fly to force a Super Regional deciding game three on Monday night.

“Certainly proud of our team to shake off yesterday and come out and just play the game,” said A&M head coach Rob Childress. “We played at a high level.”

Matt Kent was nothing short of miraculous again for A&M on the mound. Making his third start in only eight days, the junior lefty threw a gem, going 7 2/3 innings allowing six hits and no runs to cross the plate. His slider and curveball were lethal to the Frog lineup, and they had trouble figuring him out all afternoon.

“I know every time I go out, I have to let the defense work,” said Kent. “If I can get the defense involved early and get them on their toes, the game will take care of itself.”

The day was not only a bright one for Kent, but for TCU starter Preston Morrison as well. The senior was brilliant in his final career home start, tossing an incredible 9 1/3 innings, giving up two earned runs on seven hits. A&M had trouble getting any power behind their hits and Morrison made several Aggie hitters look befuddled at the plate.

After the long pitchers’ duel, A&M (50-13) would finally break the scoring seal in the sixth inning. With two outs and Mitchell Nau on second, Logan Taylor earned his first hit of the series, and it was a big one. An RBI double would score Nau to help the Aggies gain a 1-0 lead.

Playing at home in front of their home fans for a chance to punch their ticket to Omaha, the Frogs did not go away quietly.

TCU (48-13) jumped on reliever Ryan Hendrix in the ninth inning, and after two straight singles and an intentional walk, the Horned Frogs had the bases loaded with Big 12 Player of the Year Cody Jones at the dish. It looked as if TCU was going to pull off another comeback to advance. A sacrifice fly by Jones would tie the game 1-1, but Hendrix kept his composure to record the final out. A&M could not win the game in the bottom of the ninth, and the game went into extra innings, a theme which the Aggies know all too well.

After retiring TCU in order in the 10th inning, the Aggies came to the plate in the bottom of the inning. With one out, Morrison would walk Nick Choruby, and a beautifully executed hit and run by Michael Barash set up runners on the corners with one out for A&M. Morrison was pulled, and TCU closer, and College Station native Riley Ferrell was inserted into the game.

The senior leadership of Blake Allemand would come through in a big way for A&M once again.

Allemand looked poised in the big moment, and did not try to do too much. He lifted a fly ball to left field, and Choruby tagged up to score the winning run for A&M. It was Allemand’s second career walk off, the first coming earlier this year against South Carolina.

“It was a testament to how relentless we are,’ Said Allemand. “We just keep coming…it shows we are a tough team.”

It was the 50th win for A&M this season, and it is the fifth time in program history A&M has accomplished that feat. Also, the Aggies are now 4-0 in elimination games this postseason. To advance to Omaha, they will need one more win.
Monday night, the two heavyweights will duel it out in a series-deciding game three at 7 pm. The winner will advance to the College World Series, and the loser will see their brilliant campaign come to a close.