Day two of the 2024 College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska, was struggling to match the excitement of Friday’s opening two games, but Saturday’s opener delivered just as much excitement with a walk-off extra-innings win.
The next victory came another eight hours later.
Texas A&M 3, Florida 2
Shortly after the first game of the day, thunderstorms rolled into Omaha, making it impossible to start the game at the scheduled time of 6 pm. The game finally started at 10 pm local time, an hour before NCAA rules forced the organizers to move the game to Sunday.
Texas A&M got the lead off two wild plays when Travis Chestnut hit a ball that could have been a double play with the bases loaded, but there was no play at first base and then no play at third base when Florida third baseman Dale Thomas was off base.
Florida threatened late in the innings with two runs in the seventh and bases loaded in the eighth, but couldn’t break through. Game ended: 1:13 a.m. local time.
Key Stats
Aggies starter Justin Lamkin pitched well, allowing only one hit and striking out six in three scoreless innings, but was replaced after 42 pitches. Texas A&M head coach Jim Schlossnagel said the decision was made because starter Shane Sudao is out for the season, and that “We’ll need Lamkin later this week.” [Lamkin’laterthisweek”
Game Play
Florida leadoff hitter Cade Kurland hit a game-winning home run in the ninth inning. Texas A&M outfielder Jace Laviolette stole a home run.
Kentucky 5, North Carolina State 4
Mitchell Daly homered off Derrick Smith with two outs in the 10th inning to lead No. 2 seed Kentucky to a 5-4 walk-off win over No. 10 seed North Carolina State in the opening game of Saturday’s game. The win marked the Wildcats’ third walk-off victory in their first three games at Charles Schwab Field.
Dailey’s home run was the senior third baseman’s seventh of the season. He’s batting .302 this season with a .691 OPS.
Key Stats
Kentucky first baseman Ryan Nicholson went 3-for-4, including a game-tying home run in the ninth inning. The graduate transfer led the Wildcats with 21 homers, 61 RBIs, a .299 batting average and a 1.080 OPS during the regular season.
Game Play
The Wildcats’ Nicholson hit a home run the other way off NC State’s Jacob Dudan in the bottom of the ninth to tie the score at 4-4. Later that inning, the Wolfpack’s Garrett Pennington scored on a wild pitch by Johnny Hamel in the bottom of the ninth to take a 4-3 lead.
What they’re saying
“All year long, we’ve had Dudan start and Smith second,” NC State head coach Elliott Avent said when asked why he started Dudan in the ninth inning instead of closer Derrick Smith.
What’s next?
The victorious Kentucky and Texas A&M will meet in the next round on Monday at 7 pm ET, while Florida and North Carolina State will advance to the consolation round at 2 pm ET the same day.
Who will win the College World Series Jello Shot Race?
Tennessee still leads, but the long wait for Texas A&M’s first game helped close the gap by about 1,800-1,200 as of Saturday night.