OMAHA, NEB. — Nathan Dettmer threw 7 innings of scoreless ball and Notre Dame’s pitching staff cracked under the pressure of Texas A&M’s offense as the Aggies advanced to the College World Series semifinals in a 5-1 win.
The victory means the Aggies have doubled their win output in the CWS in the first year of Jim Schlossnagle’s tenure, winning two straight to set up a rematch with Oklahoma tomorrow afternoon.
Working on just three days rest after being shelled for 7 runs in 1 2/3 innings by OU last Friday, Dettmer was brilliant from the start Tuesday. He allowed only one leadoff hitter to reach base and didn't give up a hit until 1 out in the 4th inning. He gave up one extra-base hit and didn’t walk a batter while striking out 5.
It was a remarkable turnaround for Dettmer, who had struggled mightily during the second half of the season and hadn’t completed 7 innings since he did so against Vanderbilt on April 28.
While Dettmer’s performance was a surprise, the A&M offense performed as expected. The Aggies chased Notre Dame starter Liam Simon when they loaded the bases with 1 out in the top of the 3rd, forcing the Fighting Irish to turn to star reliever Jack Findlay. Left fielder Dylan Rock hit a grounder that Notre Dame 3B Jack Brannigan threw away, allowing 2 runs to score. After a walk to DH Austin Bost, 2B Ryan Targac hit a sacrifice fly to right field, allowing 3B Trevor Werner to score. Bost was thrown out at third to end the threat and the inning, but the Aggie offense would rebound.
Werner started the top of the 5th with a long home run to left, followed by a double by 1B Jack Moss. After Moss moved to third on a passed ball, Bost singled him home to make the score 5-0 and ending Findlay’s day.
The Aggies would threaten several more times in the later innings, but would not score. Notre Dame, on the other hand, would struggle to get runners into scoring position. Their leadoff double in the bottom of the 5th would be wasted, as Dettmer quickly picked up a pair of groundouts and a strikeout to end the threat.
The Fighting Irish would score their only run in the 8th, when right fielder Brooks Coetzee greeted freshman reliever Brad Rudis with a booming homer to left. A single and a walk quickly ended Rudis’s day, with coach Jim Scholossnagle turning to left-handed reliever Joseph Menefee. Menefee picked up a strikeout on a full count, then picked up a double play to end the threat.
Notre Dame would get the leadoff runner on in the bottom of the 9th, but Menefee promptly picked him off 1st. He quickly dispensed of the final two batters, ending Notre Dame’s season and ensuring A&M’s longest stay and Omaha would continue for another day.
