No. 3 Texas A&M upset No. 1 Tennessee, but the series is far from over.
— And that is why they play the games.
On paper, Tennessee should not have had any trouble with Texas A&M in Game 1 of the Men’s College World Series finals.
The Volunteers are the nation’s No. 1-ranked team and have been since early May. Entering Saturday evening’s contest, the Vols had posted a nearly perfect 8-1 NCAA tournament record, this following their Big Orange ground scorching of Hoover, Alabama, during the SEC tournament on the way to the title. After blowing through their side of the MCWS bracket, they entered the best-of-three title fight with a healthy and ridiculously well-rested roster that includes at least two players whose names will be called in the first round of next month’s MLB draft. Las Vegas oddsmakers rightfully had UT installed as their favorite.
Meanwhile, Texas A&M was bounced from the SEC tourney in two games, including a 7-4 loss to Tennessee, lost its surefire first-rounder for the remainder of the postseason due to a broken ankle, lost its No. 2 pitcher to an arm injury the very next day, had its leading home run hitter tweak a hamstring running the bases and saw its catcher/spiritual leader and designated hitter wear more ice packs than a rookery of penguins. Whenever the Aggies walk through the lobby of their hotel adjacent to Charles Schwab Field, they look like a TV commercial for an EMT supply store. During Friday’s pre-finals news conference, Texas A&M coach Jim Schlossnagle kept apologizing for it all, repeating over and over, « Man, I really wish we were at 100 percent. Sorry. »
So, naturally, it was A&M who handed the Volunteers a Texas-sized 9-5 upset loss on Saturday night. Suddenly, it’s the Aggies who are one win away from a first MCWS title and the vols who are tending to their wounds. Mental wounds.
« You find out different ways to respond », Tennessee coach Tony Vitello said after his first MCWS finals game. « You can either get frustrated that tonight went that way or you can get more determined . and where determination kicks up, play kicks up.
