Tommy Egan’s Journey to College World Series
Tommy Egan, a Mount Carmel graduate, experienced a significant milestone in his baseball career when he took to the mound for Troy University. His journey through college baseball culminated in a historic achievement for the Trojans. Egan, now in his fifth season and at his fourth school, had the honor of starting as pitcher in Game 2 of Troy’s super regional against Little Rock. This game offered Troy the chance to secure their first College World Series appearance. Egan reflected on the moment, saying, “Pitching in the super was super special. There was so much adrenaline.”
The stadium was filled with fans, standing at the top of football stands and around the field, creating a remarkable atmosphere. Egan delivered an outstanding performance, striking out eight batters over 7 1/3 innings. He conceded two earned runs on five hits, leading to a 7-2 victory. This win sent coach Skylar Meade and the Trojans to Omaha for the first time. Egan expressed his gratitude, noting the personal connection with coach Meade who, he said, cares deeply about his players.
“It means everything to help Troy get there,” Egan shared. “It was more about doing it for Skylar. He’s so obsessed with winning, and you just want to win for him.”
Coincidentally, Egan’s historical win occurred on June 6, the same day Mount Carmel clinched an 11-1 victory over Brother Rice, securing a Class 4A sectional title. Mark, Egan’s father, serves as an assistant coach for Mount Carmel and was present in Troy to support him. Brian Hurry, Mount Carmel’s coach, verified that he hurried from the Brother Rice game to watch Egan pitch on TV. He later traveled to Omaha to support Egan in the College World Series.
The Trojans recorded a 1-2 performance in Omaha, with Egan helping in their sole victory over Ole Miss with a 12-8 score, although they faced losses against West Virginia. Reflecting on the experience, Egan commented on the excitement of playing in Omaha, despite the challenges faced during games. Egan shared, “It was amazing being in Omaha. During the last game, we were down in the bullpen and though we were losing, we realized, ‘We’re really in Omaha right now.’”
Egan concluded the season with a 6-5 record, a 5.46 ERA, and amassed 101 strikeouts in 89 innings. He noted the challenge of playing through a calf injury, which impacted his mechanics and velocity, but he found a way to succeed while adapting his approach.
“For any other team, I would have shut it down, but for this team, I had to accept that I wasn’t going to have my best stuff. I was still going to put up good numbers.”
Throughout his college journey, Egan played at Iowa Western, followed by Houston and Illinois-Chicago, before arriving at Troy. As he considers potential professional opportunities, he acknowledges the unforgettable nature of his final college year. Egan expressed contentment with his time in baseball, highlighting the significance of reaching Omaha.