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COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KBTX) - The Michael Earley era got a boost as Jace LaViolette and Gavin Grahovac announced their return to the A&M baseball team on social media Tuesday morning.

Both entered the transfer portal after Jim Schlossnagle’s departure to the University of Texas the day after the College World Series concluded.

“The past week and a half has been the toughest week and a half stretch of my life,” LaViolette said at Earley’s welcome ceremony. “You lose the toughest game you’ve dreamed about playing in for your whole life and you end up losing that game.. heartbreaking.. come back the next day and find our your whole coaching staff is leaving. It was a really tough feeling, but I knew who I wanted my next head coach to be. I think everyone on this team did. Now, that it happened I couldn’t be more ecstatic. I love that man (Earley). I’d go to war with him. I’d die for him.”

"I can't show enough love for that man. He's helped me get to places within this game I never thought I'd be in."

Jace LaViolette on Michael Earley and his decision to return to A&M #GigEm pic.twitter.com/k4Y4am81kF
— Nicole Griffith (@nicolegriff_) July 2, 2024

Grahovac, a true freshman in 2024, started 67 games batting .298 and finished third on the team with 23 homeruns, behind LaViolette’s team-high 29 and Braden Montgomery’s 27.

LaViolette, who started all 68 games in 2024, now has 50 career home runs for Texas A&M, just six shy of tying Daylan Holt for the all-time record.