Eagle Columnist
HOUSTON -- The banner highlighting Rice's accolades over the past 13 years stretches the length of the batting cages at Reckling Park. It's hard to miss.
There aren't many gaps in the sequence of numbers that underline the three headers -- the main one of which is College World Series appearances.
That's what A&M is striving for, but as long as the Owls keep adding to their oversized pennant, which is headlined by the 2003 National Championship streamer, the Aggies have a big barrier to overcome.
The Aggies will have to find a way to beat the Owls if they are going to get to where they expect to be. They know that and they welcome the challenge, but it will still be at least another year in the making.
"This isn't a one- or two-year deal, it may be next year and it may be two years from now, but it is always going to be our goal to get to Omaha and be the last one standing," A&M coach Rob Childress said while praising the 2008 version of the Aggies. "If you can't see or talk about it you're never going to do it."
Rice secured its third consecutive trip to Omaha with a 6-5 come-from-behind victory on Sunday to complete a Super Regional sweep of the Aggies for the second straight season.
Childress spoke of using all his bullets, and he did. But the Owls had more ammunition, especially in the bullpen. Rice coach Wayne Graham wore a path to the mound changing pitchers for each situation, first to keep the game close and finally to close it out.
"It's pretty much the same scenario, two games and out," A&M left fielder Brodie Greene said. "I hope we see this team again. I hope we get the same situation because we're going to kick the door down like coach says, and I hope it's against Rice next year."
If the Aggies get that opportunity and are able to capitalize on it, it will be well deserved against a team that performs the way Rice does.
If there is one stat that shows what kind of team the Aggies were up against, it's strikeouts.
A&M pitchers came in striking out nearly eight batters a game. A&M sent its best to the mound against the Owls, but they had only seven strikeouts for the weekend.
The Owls forced the Aggies to make plays, even by bunting with two strikes. At times A&M was up to the task defensively -- pitcher Travis Starling twice and first baseman Luke Anders once in the seventh inning, when the Owls left the bases loaded trailing 5-4. Shortstop Jose Duran doubled a runner off first after catching a liner to end another threat in the sixth.
But by keeping the ball in play, the Owls gained ground early and then set up the winning run. A routine grounder scored two when it took a big hop over Duran in the sixth. And in the eighth, a swinging bunt for a base hit set up the only homer of the two-game series, a line drive by Adam Zornes that just cleared the left-field fence for the game-winner.
The Owls took advantage when the Aggies did make mistakes, scoring two unearned runs and getting a third after a hit batsman.
A&M walked nine and hit two batters in 17 innings, numbers usually reserved for its side of the box score. Good teams take advantage of that, as A&M did all season in winning the Big 12 Conference title and its second straight regional.
But Rice was one better, doing it at the Super Regional.
• Richard Croome's e-mail address is richard.croome@ theeagle.com.
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