On Sunday, Oct. 30, Texas A&M baseball will host the Sam Houston State Bearkats in an exhibition game at 1 p.m in Blue Bell Park.
A&M coach Jim Schlossnagle will try to build off of last season’s Omaha, Neb, run. Schlossnagle won a regional championship, super regional championship and appeared in the semifinals in his first year in Aggieland.
The Aggies lost key players this offseason, such as pitcher Micah Dallas and outfielder Dylan Rock to the MLB draft. Additionally, the Aggies lost their stud behind the plate, as catcher Troy Claunch signed with the Chicago White Sox as an undrafted free agent.
Schlossnagle does not plan to skip a beat this year, however, as the second-year coach brought in key contributors.
Pitcher Carson Lambert transferred from South California and will be pivotal for the Aggies’ rotation. Sophomore shortstop Hunter Haas transferred from Arizona State to join the Aggies and should improve the suspect A&M defense.
The roster appears ready to compete for a championship after the Aggies shocked the SEC with their run last summer. For this to happen, however, the Aggies must play excellent baseball. It is tough to get to Omaha, but it is even tougher to get back.
Schlossnagle knows this and plans to get his crew ready to go this fall. There is no substitute for facing live pitching from another staff, and the Aggies will face off against the Bearkats’ best.
Sam Houston State finished with an overall record of 31-25, finishing 21-9 in conference play last season.
The Aggies rode for their red-hot bats in the 2022 tournament and will look to relight some of that fire on Friday. To do just that, the Aggies added another slugger this offseason in true freshman Jace LaViolette. LaViolette hit three home runs in an exhibition game against Lamar and looks primed to be an elite player at the college level.
Baseball fans should be ecstatic to see LaViolette in the lineup with veteran batters including senior Austin Bost and junior Trevor Werner. Pitchers will likely be rotated in, and elite talent will be on display in Olsen Field.
Sunday should be a glimpse of what’s to come this spring season for A&M baseball.
