Adrian Rodriguez Blasted His Way to a CWS Cycle, And College Baseball Won't Stop Talking About It

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Holy cow, Seattle sports faithful, did you catch what went down in Omaha on Monday? Sophomore shortstop Adrian Rodriguez just absolutely went off, hitting for only the third cycle in College World Series history! The #6 Texas Longhorns, man, they didn't just win, they stomped the Alabama Crimson Tide 14-2. This kid is on another planet right now, and if you weren't watching, you missed a historic night.

Adrian Rodriguez Is Absolutely Unstoppable Right Now

Seven postseason games for Rodriguez, and what's he done? He's notched his seventh straight multi-hit game. Seriously, SEVENTH. This dude went a perfect 5-for-5 at the plate with seven RBI. Think about that for a second. The cycle itself was wild, too. After initially being called a double in the second inning, a scoring review changed it to a triple, completing the historic feat. He wasn't alone, though. Freshman left fielder Anthony Pack Jr. and junior designated hitter Ethan Mendoza were right there with him. Those three combined for an insane 11-for-14 at the dish, racking up six runs and a ridiculous 13 of the Longhorns' 14 RBI. Texas batters were seeing the ball like beach balls, hitting .471 with runners in scoring position and .429 with runners on base. Talk about turning up the heat when it counts, especially after getting "sped up" in their loss to the Diamond Dogs on Saturday. This offense is absolutely locked in!

Riojas Shuts 'Em Down While The Bats Explode Early

It wasn't just the bats doing all the work, though. Senior right-hander Ruger Riojas delivered a quality start for the Longhorns, his third straight after dealing with some shoulder tendinitis last month. He powered through six innings on 105 pitches, giving up just two runs on six hits, with seven strikeouts and two walks. The offense made his job easier, gifting him three runs in the first and four in the second. Riojas started hot, working his lively fastball in the 95-96 mph range, mixing in his breaking balls to keep Alabama guessing. Justin Lebron got a single and a stolen base, but Riojas stayed cool, ending the first with a strikeout. On the offensive side, junior right fielder Aiden Robbins bounced back from an 0-for-4 game against Georgia by leading off the first with a double. Mendoza, battling a right shoulder injury himself, doubled to drive in Robbins. And then Rodriguez followed up with another double to drive in two more. This team jumped on Alabama early, scoring more in the first inning against Adams than they did in his entire scoreless six-inning outing two months ago in Austin! Even when Riojas briefly lost some velocity and command, walking a couple of batters and giving up a bloop single for Bama's first run, he recovered to force a groundout and minimize the damage.

This wasn't just a win, Seattle. This was a statement. Texas extended their stay in Omaha with authority, powered by a performance that will be talked about for years. With Rodriguez hitting like this, and the whole lineup locked in, the Longhorns are looking dangerous. You gotta wonder if anyone can stop this momentum now. This is the kind of thrilling, high-stakes baseball that makes you want to cancel all your plans. The ride continues, folks. Don't blink!

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This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.