OMAHA, Neb. — Texas shortstop Adrian Rodriguez drove in seven runs Monday, tying the Men’s College World Series RBI record in a 14-2 blowout win over No. 7 Alabama at Charles Schwab Field Omaha.
The 6-foot, 200-pound sophomore also became the third MCWS player to hit for the cycle, as his second-inning single to deep left-center was ruled a triple five innings later. Two other players have hit for the cycle in the MCWS — Minnesota’s Jerry Kindall vs. Ole Miss in 1956 and Tennessee’s Christian Moore against Florida State in 2024.
Rodriguez had been stymied by a hamate fracture in his left hand for more than a year and underwent offseason surgery. He was wearing a cast on his hand in April after undergoing another procedure on the hand. His bat came alive in the postseason, and he hit .500 with seven RBIs in the Austin Super Regional and went 7-for-11 at regionals.
Rodriguez said he found out about the scoring change that gave him the cycle late in the game Monday.
“So, it was kind of surreal,” Rodriguez said.
“I really owe it to all the guys that have been having my back throughout the whole year and especially all the coaches that have had my back when I haven’t been right mentally. So, it’s been a grind, but I’m happy that we’re doing it right now in the College World Series.”
Rodriguez went for 5-for-5 on Monday and hit a 418-foot home run with a 106 mph exit velocity in the sixth inning. He also doubled in the first inning, tripled in the second, singled in the fifth and doubled again in the bottom of the eighth inning, driving in the final run.
Seven players have registered seven RBIs in a game in MCWS history. Before Monday, Mississippi State’s Jordan Westburg was the last to do it in 2018 against North Carolina.
Sixth-ranked Texas advanced to Tuesday night’s elimination game against Georgia. Alabama’s season ended at 42-21.
ESPN research contributed to this report.
