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OMAHA, NEB. -- The last time Texas A&M pitcher Ryan Prager threw in a competitive game before opening day this year was in the 2022 College World Series. That start did not go well.
Prager gave up 4 runs (3 earned) in 2 1/3 innings as the Aggies were eliminated by Oklahoma 5-1. Prager would have Tommy John surgery before last season, causing him to miss the year and leaving him with more time to mull over that loss.
"I'm super grateful to be back," he said. "The last time we were here left a sour taste in my mouth."
A&M was super grateful he was back Saturday night, as he shut down Kentucky's offense. Prager no-hit the No. 2 Wildcats for 6 2/3 innings and left with a shutout intact as the Aggies won 5-1. His performance allowed the No.3 Aggies (51-13) to enter Wednesday night's game against Florida (36-29) with its bullpen intact.
"Ryan was obviously outstanding," coach Jim Schlossnagle said. " It was a really tough night to hit. Really good night to pitch."
But Prager was more than "really good". He was outstanding. Sixteen of his 20 outs involved his teammates -- nine flyouts, six groundouts -- and getting ahead in the count helped keep his pitch count down.
"He had all three pitches going," Schlossnagle said. "He filled up the strike zone enough where I think Kentucky started swinging more, got him some early outs in some situations where he could pitch deeper in the game."
Prager only faced serious trouble once, in the second inning, when catcher Jackson Appel made a stellar play on a bunt to retire Kentucky right fielder James McCoy for the third out. He retired the side in order in the third, fourth and fifth innings, putting the Aggies in a position where they were intentionally ignoring Prager in the dugout.
That's what you do when someone is pitching a no-hitter, of course.
"I didn't say a word to him. Are you kidding me?" designated hitter Hayden Schott said. "You think I'm going to be that guy who goes over and says something? No way, no way. I'm not that guy, no chance."
When Prager took the mound in the bottom of the sixth, he had some wiggle room because his temmates had erupted for five runs in the top half of the inning. He quickly disposed of the first two Kentucky hitters before Wildcats first baseman Ryan Nicholson singled to left.
As the fans at Charles Schwab Field stood and applauded and A&M pitching coach Max Weiner scampered to the mound, Prager allowed himself a sheepish smile. It was a long way from his last start, when he lasted only 1 2/3 innings and gave up 6 runs against Oregon. Prager said that outcome bugged him for a few days, but was eventually able to get it all out of his system.
"Those first couple of days afterwards, there was maybe some thinking, maybe a little bit of overthinking. But really coming back to neutral and understanding that what I've done all year has led to some success and nothing really needs to change," he said. "There doesn't have to be a drastic change."
Nicholson's hit, and the double that followed, ended Prager's night. One person who was not overly upset about that was Schlossnagle, who was weighing the need to bring Prager back later in the tournament against the prospect of him throwing a no-hitter in the College World Series. Nearly 7 innings of shutout ball, he decided, was about the perfect outcome.
"We brought plenty of guys to pitch, but when you're down Shane Sdao, and a guy that gives you great innings like that, that's a big hole to fill for any team, at least for our team," he said.
Prager's performance drew a tip of the cap from the opposing dugout.
"Prager, what an outing, what a time to pitch a game like that. Give him a lot of credit. He kept us off balance. It was the fastball, the breaking ball, the change-up. He just threw an absolute great game," Kentucky coach Nick Mingione said. "I was supper impressed with (him)."
After playing a critical role in having the Aggies sitting at 2-0 in the College World Series for the first time ever, Prager's teammates were happy to agree.
"Prager," Schott said, "is a stud."
