Texas A&M baseball's postseason fate is now all but sealed as they dropped their final game of the series against Georgia today. The Aggies came in on life support for a tournament berth, and after losing game one, all seemed lost.
However, some brilliance out of Justin Lamkin in game two, throwing a complete-game shutout of the Bulldogs (who rank no. 1 in the country in RPI), gave the Aggies a glimmer of hope if some things broke right. If that glimmer were to continue to grow, though, the Aggies would need to take care of business in Saturday's contest.
Following a 7-5 loss, the door seems to be completely shut on the Aggies. The only thing that could get them to a regional at this point would be to somehow sweep through Hoover and win the SEC tournament— a prospect that, at this point, seems extremely fanciful to imagine. That means there are some tough conversations upcoming.
After failed season, Texas A&M baseball faces tough choice whether to keep Michael Earley
Is one year too short of a time frame to give a new coach? In one respect, Earley was stepping into an impossible situation. There are some who would have considered anything short of returning to the College World Series final an abject failure for the year.
The difference here is that most every fan of the Maroon and White sees what's gone on this year as an abject failure. Even those who were giving Earley plenty of leeway earlier in the season are regarding his future in Aggieland gravely.
If A&M misses the postseason, as it looks like they will, they will become the first preseason number one to ever do so. That's not just an ignominious distinction; it's a flat-out catastrophe. There are first-year head coaches who have come into difficult positions, but none have done what Earley has this year.
If Earley does survive until next year, it will be on the very thinnest of ice possible. As of right now, he's still the head man for Aggie baseball— but don't be surprised if A&M moves fast to make a change following the conference tournament.