Behind seven shutout innings from new ace Michael Wacha, the Texas A&M Aggies defeated the Arizona Wildcats 3-0 to close out Kyle Field and advance to the Super Regionals. They’ll pack up for Tallahassee to begin a three game set with Florida State on Saturday, and the winner of that game will advance to the College World Series in Omaha.
Wacha held the Wildcats to just five scattered hits, and three of them came in one inning. Arizona catcher Jeff Bandy was thrown out at the plate to preserve the scoreless tie in the fifth. The Aggies started a two-out rally in the eighth, with Tyler Naquin’s double the sparking point. A clutch single by Krey Bratsen was enough to convince Arizona to pull ace Kurt Heyer, and the Aggies tacked on two more runs on the Wildcats bullpen behind Jacob House’s double that scored two.
Ross Stripling closed the Wildcats out in the ninth, and they become the last team to qualify for Super Regionals next week. Wacha will likely get the ball again on Saturday as they face Florida State, and he’ll likely be opposed by Seminole ace Sean Gilmartin, who was 12-1 with a 1.83 ERA this season.