Jim Schlossnagle raves about Texas A&M pitching staff amid difficult SEC Tournament run

Texas A&M baseball and its pitching staff had a great run to the SEC Tournament finals, but fell short to Vanderbilt. Head coach Jim Schlossnagle was proud of his pitching staff amid a difficult run.

To get to the finals, the Aggies won three in a row after an extra innings loss to Arkansas. They defeated South Carolina, LSU and got payback over Arkansas.

Prior to the team’s 10-4 loss to Vanderbilt in the finals, Schlossnagle detailed why the pitching staff really stepped up.

“Yeah, just awesome,” Schlossnagle wrote. “We’ve really only given runs up in, what, three total innings? No, four total innings, the seventh today, the ninth today, the grand slam to Arkansas and then the walk-off to Arkansas, right? I think we’ve only given up runs in four innings, something like that maybe.

“But it’s been outstanding. The starting pitching has been great. Dillard, him getting that experience helps us in the NCAA Tournament. Will Johnston obviously was awesome, Lamkin, Wansing. If we can get Dettmer going, then I really like our chances. I mean, we’re going to face great teams next weekend regardless, but I feel way — this is the best I’ve felt about our team and our pitching all season.”

Despite Texas A&M getting an opportunity to display its pitching in the NCAA Tournament, the loss left a bitter taste in the mouths of the team.

“Any time you lose a championship, it’s always tough, man,” Schlossnagle said. “I’m so proud of this team, though, just from being on the road this last week and a half, just to block out all the negativity and criticism that we may have faced, and just to compete and show that we belong on the field with anybody.

“The one thing is that this isn’t the end of our story. That’s the good part. We still have a lot of baseball to play hopefully from us, and if I’m getting on anybody, it the Aggies. Love these guys. It obviously sucks to come up short today but like Coached said, you have to credit Vanderbilt. They played great. We just didn’t get it done.”

Based on the latest NCAA Baseball Tournament projections, Texas A&M should get into the Clemson Regional. The Aggies are the projected No. 2 team.

In that region is No. 1 Clemson, the No. 2 Aggies, No. 3 Kansas State and No. 4 Penn.

Whoever gets them, that team better watch out for Texas A&M pitching.