Shriners College Classic Headlines

Six teams are at Minute Maid Park in Houston, TX for the Shriners Children’s College Classic. Here are some storylines from the teams participating from all around the country:

Let's start with the obvious one: Texas A&M’s head coach Jim Schlossnagle was the head coach of TCU before arriving in College Station. While the Aggies and Frogs do not match up, TCU plays directly in front of Texas A&M all three days. Also worth noting, Texas A&M is the team that sent the Frogs home last year.

That is a great segway into our next segment: rematches. This tournament features 3 sets of tournament rematches. Texas A&M - TCU in the College Station Regional, Texas A&M - Louisville in the supers, and Louisville - Michigan in the Louisville Regional.

The Texas A&M - Louisville is not as controversial as the other so let's get that one out of the way. Texas A&M swept Louisville out of the supers enroute to a final four finish. Both games were close, but Texas A&M prevailed.

Michigan and Louisville quickly turned into a three game set in their respective regional. Michigan won the first game 7-3 before losing the next 2. Controversy arrived in the 8th inning of that game.Trailing 9-7 in the 8th, the first two Louisville batters of the frame were retired. Dalton Rushing worked a walk and Jack Payton doubled off the left field wall to put the tying runs in scoring position. Payton was barely safe and Michigan fans like to think he was out at second. Usher then delivered a two-run single into center field to knot the game up. With the game hanging in the balance, Masterman launched a no-doubt two-run home run over the berm in left field to put the Cardinals in front.

Texas Tech has two players facing their former teams in Ty Coleman from Texas A&M and Drew Woodcox from Rice.

Some other notes, with the late change: Rice and Texas A&M will meet 3 times in 2023. Texas A&M is 106-66 all-time against Rice, including 2-8 in the last 10.