The No. 3 ranked Texas A&M baseball team is set to face Florida in the opening game of the College World Series. This much-anticipated matchup will kick off tomorrow night at 6 p.m. at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha. Fans can catch the action live on ESPN or listen to local coverage on SportsRadio 1150AM/93.7 The Zone, with additional updates available on X via @AggieBaseball.
The Aggies (49-13), who are making their eighth appearance in the College World Series and second in the last three seasons, have had a stellar run through the Bryan-College Station Regional and Super Regional. This year, they clinched their fifth Super Regional title, with four of those victories at Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park.
From their last College World Series appearance in 2022, four players — Brad Rudis, Chris Cortez, Ryan Prager, and Ryan Targac — return to the squad, all of whom played in the tournament that year. Under the leadership of Head Coach Jim Schlossnagle, Texas A&M has posted a 14-4 record in the postseason and holds a 2-2 record in Omaha games.
This will be the 31st meeting between the Aggies and the Gators, and their fourth encounter this season. Despite losing a three-game series in March, Texas A&M leads the all-time series 16-14 and has a balanced record of 1-1 in neutral venues. This game marks their first meeting at the College World Series stage.
Several Aggies have received All-America honors this season. Outfielder Braden Montgomery and reliever Evan Aschenbeck were both selected for the first team by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA), Perfect Game, and the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA)/Rawlings. Sophomore Jace LaViolette also received first team honors from the NCBWA and second team from the ABCA/Rawlings.
Additional accolades include catcher Jackson Appel and third baseman Gavin Grahovac, who have also been recognized as All-Americans. Aschenbeck has also been named the 2024 NCBWA Stopper of the Year, marking the first time an Aggie has received this award for the top relief pitcher in NCAA Division I Baseball.
The Aggies boast one of the top pitching staffs in the nation, with significant improvements under new pitching coach Max Weiner. They lead in several statistical categories, including shutouts and strikeout-to-walk ratio, showcasing their dominant pitching and powerful offense.
Nationally, Texas A&M is a leader in walks, home runs, and runs scored, demonstrating their offensive prowess throughout the season.