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TCU advances to College World Series on walk-off error in 16th-inning rally

TCU heads to College World Series on walk-off error

By Mike Bertha

Monday was a big night for college baseball players, and not just because a bunch of them heard their names called in the first round of MLB's First-Year Player Draft.

In NCAA Super Regionals action, the Horned Frogs of Texas Christian and the Aggies of Texas A&M went head-to-head for 16 innings before they could determine which team would advance to the College World Series in Omaha.

With two outs in the bottom of the 16th, senior infielder Garrett Crain was on second base. When Evan Skoug smoked a ground ball to the hot corner, Crain never hesitated, rounding third and trying to score as Aggies third baseman Ronnie Giddeon scrambled to corral his misplay. By the time Giddeon regained his composure, the only play was to home -- but catcher Michael Barash just couldn't hold on: 

As tough as that loss probably feels for the Aggies, they were lucky to have made it that far. In the bottom of the 14th, the bases were loaded with Horned Frogs when Skoug lined a ball off the pitcher. Luckily for the Aggies at the time, it ricocheted right to the first baseman who fired a strike home for the 1-3-2 putout and helped stave off TCU for another two innings.

This will be TCU's second straight trip to Omaha, and if the drama it took to get them there is any indication, it's going to be one exciting tournament.