Bigtexx signature change due... Associated Press HOUSTON -- Justin Ruggiano waited until the brink of defeat to ruin Rice's opportunity to defend its national title. Ruggiano knocked the defending College World Series champs out of the NCAA tournament with a grand slam off Philip Humber in the eighth inning to send Texas A&M past Rice 7-5 Sunday. ''I was swinging for the first pitch fastball,'' Ruggiano said. ''Luckily he gave it to me.'' The Aggies (42-20) advance to a best-of-three super regional next weekend against LSU. The Owls (46-14) lost to Texas Southern 4-3 on Friday night, sending them to the loser's bracket. They beat Texas A&M 3-1 earlier Sunday to face the rematch. But the Owls' couldn't pull out another victory, making it the first time in four years that Rice had not advanced out of its own NCAA regional at Reckling Park. ''It was a great baseball game,'' Rice head coach Wayne Graham said. ''Texas A&M definitely deserved to win it.'' Kyle Nicholson (3-0) got the victory in relief. Humber (13-4) took the loss in relief, giving up five hits and four earned runs in 2 1/3 innings. Rice (46-14) took a 5-3 lead in the top of the eighth when Matt Cavanaugh and Paul Janish scored on a single by Adam Rogers. But Craig Stinson, John Infante and Travis Bartek all singled for the Aggies to load the bases in the bottom of the eighth. Ruggiano then hit his first pitch from Humber for the grand slam that proved to be the difference. Rice starter Josh Baker got off to a fast start, retiring the first 10 batters that he faced and the Owls took an early lead when Rogers scored on a sacrifice fly by Clay Reichenbach. Cliff Pennington, named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player, got Texas A&M's first run when he walked and then scored on Austin Boggs' single in the fourth. ''Today was awesome,'' Pennington said,'' It feels nice.'' Boggs was forced to leave the game in the sixth inning when he collapsed from dehydration while facing a 2-2 count. Pinch hitter Matt Alexander stepped in and doubled to score Pennington and give the Aggies a 2-1 lead. ''Matt will remember that for a long time and I will to,'' A&M head coach Mark Johnson said. ''It was a big hit.'' Coby Mavroulis' sacrifice fly later that inning scored Cory Patton to give the Aggies a 3-1 lead. Rice's Clay Reichenbach hit a two-run homer in the seventh to tie the game. link
Gig Em Ags! Wouldn't it be great to have the horns and the Ags in the College World Series Oh yeah ... Might I suggest a link so you dont get locked up?
UT didn't need to thank the Aggies, they had taken care of the Owls in the regular season all 4 times they played. But yes, it was surprising to see a team with that much pitching talent lose in it's home regional regardless.
They have ZERO hitting. Zilch. Nada. Holding your opponents to zero runs is great, but you've got to score at least one yourself. Poor owls. I guess they should have stuck to academics after all!
My question is why did they throw humber again in the 8th? His arm couldn't have been rested and I would figure on a team like Rice they had someone reliable who was more fresh. To me they were just asking for trouble doing that. But in reality, TSU should be proud, they truly delivered the knockout blow to Rice. It was that loss that killed the Owls.
We were shocked that Townsend didn't pitch in the 8th, especially once there were 2 guys on. Unless there was something wrong with him, Wayne screwed up beeg time there. 2 great games yesterday, better team won. Owls had no sticks this year, next year the pitching will be the big question mark. Typical redass aggie noise there oski, good job. Go Horns. Geaux Tigers.
Injuries and a doubleheader in the Sunday afternoon sun took their toll. Still, the kids got some experience. Even with three guys going in the draft, if the pitchers coming from juco are as good as coach Graham says they are, they could be back in the hunt next season...
I've been without internet all weekend. I'm not shocked Rice lost. I'm shocked A&M is the one moving on.
Some Rice fans showed their lack of class when they started yelling at an Aggie who had swung at a pitch and went down with some sort of injury. They were yelling for them to drag him off the field and other stuff. I was there as an impartial baseball fan and could not believe the crap coming out of SOME Rice fans pieholes. The justice was done when the pitch hitter came in and got a 2 run hit on his first swing.
