Cortez dominates as Aggies hunt down Ducks in Super Regional

Trailing 6-3 in the top of the second inning, their ace on the ropes and their best player out with a serious injury, it looked like the Bryan-College Station Super Regional was about to get away from the No. 3 Aggies (49-13). But Cortez (9-3) entered with two outs and slammed the door hard on Oregon (40-19).

Over the next 5 2/3 innings, the Ducks’ bats were silenced to the tune of 3 hits — two infield singles — and 3 walks. Cortez, who has struggled with his command for much of his time in Aggieland, was completely dominant, spotting his triple-digit fastball where he wanted to and firing un-hittable sliders. Cortez threw a season-high 89 pitches while striking out 10.

It was a remarkable pick-me-up after just about everything went wrong for A&M up until that point. Starter Ryan Prager gave up a 2-run homer to left fielder Anton Aroz before retiring a batter in the top of the first before settling in. Then, in the midst of a 3-run inning to take back the lead, right fielder Braden Montgomery took an awkward step while trying to score on a base hit by first baseman Ted Burton and rolled over in pain, grasping at his right ankle after being tagged out.

Montgomery, who could not put weight on the ankle, had his leg put in an air cast right at the plate before leaving.

Prager immediately gave the lead back and then some in the top of the second, giving up four hits and hitting a batter before coach Jim Schlossnagle made the move to Cortez. The junior right-hander immediately picked up a strikeout and held Oregon off the board for another 5 1/3 innings.

The Aggies started whittling away at the Oregon lead quickly, with designated hitter Hayden Schott — who already had an RBI double in the first — picked up a two-strike single to drive in catcher Jackson Appel in the bottom of the third to make it 6-4. After threatening in the top of the fourth but not scoring, the Ducks imploded in the bottom half of the inning.

After a one-out single by third baseman Gavin Grahovac, right fielder Jace LaViolette doubled down the right field line, but Oregon right fielder Mason Neville booted it, allowing LaViolette to move to third while Grahovac scored. Second baseman Kaeden Kent, who entered the game after Montgomery’s injury forced a shuffling of the lineup, hit a chopper to first that Jacob Walsh bobbled, allowing LaViolette to score and tie the game. A double by Appel moved Kent to third and chased Oregon starter RJ Gordon (7-6), who threw 102 pitches in just 3 1/3 innings.

Oregon went to freshman Ryan Featherston, who would give up the lead in the fourth before completely losing command in the fifth.

After Cortez had a 1-2-3 inning, Featherston walked left fielder Caden Sorrell, then threw a wild pitch to advance him to second. He then walked centerfielder Travis Chestnut, followed by a six-pitch walk of Grahovac. With the bases loaded and nobody out, Oregon coach Mark Wasikowski turned to closer Logan Mercado — who promptly walked LaViolette on four pitches. Mercado would settle down and get three straight outs, but gave up two RBI groundouts in the process to give A&M a 10-6 lead.

That was plenty for Cortez, who was still throwing 99 mph in the eighth even as heat indices worked into triple-digits. After a walk, a strikeout and a hit batter, Scholossnagle decided to go to closer Evan Aschenbeck, allowing Cortez to leave to a roaring ovation from a well-over-capacity crowd at Olsen Field. Aschenbeck quickly got the needed 2 outs in the eighth, then struck out two of the three batters he faced in the ninth for his eighth save.

With the win, Texas A&M is one win away from advancing to the College World Series for the second time in three years. Shane Sdao (5-1, 2.61 ERA) will get the ball for the Aggies tomorrow night (6 p.m., ESPN2) with a chance to head to Omaha.