The College World Series will begin on Friday in Omaha, Nebraska with eight teams playing for the National Title.
For only the third time, both the Texas Longhorns and the Texas A&M Aggies will be making the trip. With both teams in, that gives Longhorn and Aggie fans a chance to rag on each other and pound their chest for their favorite team.
Texas comes in as the favorite according to Vegas which doesn’t sit well with this Longhorn fan. In big games where we’re favored we don’t always bring our A game. Meantime the Aggies are the longshots of the tournament and I’m sure they’re relishing in the underdog role.
This will be the first time the two have a chance to play each other (without reaching the finals) at the CWS as they’re on the same side of the bracket. (see bracket below)
Talking with my Aggie buddy Bobby Granger we discovered the Aggies haven’t won a game in the CWS since 1993. Guess who was the winning pitcher? Orangefield’s Jeff Granger.
The Aggie Hall of Famer got the win, beating Kansas 5-1. They would go on to lose to eventual champion LSU (shoutout to Tiger fans) and to the Dirtbags, yes the Dirtbags, of Long Beach State. By the way the Aggies went into the ’93 CWS as the number one seed.
Texas also won their first game then lost their next two in the tournament. They beat Oklahoma State, then lost to Wichita State, then had to play OSU again with the Cowboys getting revenge. Guess who was playing for the Cowboys and lead them in batting average that season? Thad Chaddrick of Bridge City. Chaddrick was an all-conference player with OSU, after transferring from Panola.
Can any of you think of another CWS that featured two or more players from Orange County that played? If so let me know and I’ll credit you in this story.
Luke McFarlane added to our list with two Bobcats playing in the 2011 CWS, Jacob Felts for Texas and Jace Statum for Texas A&M.
That ’93 Tournament had some special players besides Granger and Chaddrick. Texas’ Brooks Kieschnick was a two-time player of the year who pitched and batted. Granger could’ve done the same but they wouldn’t let him hit.
LSU’s Todd Walker was the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament and played 11 years in the bigs. Also Armando Rios of LSU played 15 years in the majors. Casey Blake of Wichita State also played 11 seasons.
As a Longhorn fan I’m required to end this column by saying the Longhorns own the record for most CWS appearances with 38 and they’re second in titles with six. And the University just won the Director’s Cup for the second year in a row. The Aggies are 2-12 in the CWS. And yes I know the Aggies beat Texas 12-9 on March 29. But none of that will matter when they both hit the field on Friday.
-Gary Stelly-
gstelly@gt.rr.com
Clay Richards, Rice 97
Chase Shugart, Texas
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