Bost's pinch-hit homer jumpstarts A&M in comeback win over NMSU

Game #16: Texas A&M 7, New Mexico State 5
Records: Texas A&M (13-3), New Mexico State (12-3)
WP: Chandler Jozwiak (2-0)
LP: Alex Pinedo (1-1)
Save: Bryce Miller (3)
Boxscore

Making the Bost of your opportunities is critical.

Leading 5-1 in the bottom of the sixth inning, New Mexico State head coach Mike Kirby went to his bullpen, pulling start Chirs Barraza in favor of lefthander Frank Dickson Jr.

Rob Childress countered with the righthanded bat of junior college transfer Austin Bost to pinch-hit with two men on and one out.

On a 2-1 pinch, Bost launched a center-cut fastball deep into the night sky, banging it off the scoreboard in left-center field.

“It felt so good,” Bost said. “Running around the bases, looking at my teammates; I couldn’t have asked for a better moment.”

That swing not only cut the New Mexico State lead to one, but it energized the entire Texas A&M club. The Aggies trailed 5-0 after the fifth inning but would climb back to win 7-5. Strong relief outings from Chandler Jozwiak and Bryce Miller sealed the ballgame, clinching the series for the Maroon & White.

“For us to be down 5-0 at the end of the fifth and for us to answer back, I’m as proud of our team as I’ve been all year long,” said A&M head coach Rob Childress.

A&M would complete the comeback in the bottom of the seventh thanks to a groundball-with-eyes off the bat of Ray Alejo that snuck by NMSU shortstop Nick Gonzales and scored two runs to make it 6-5. A&M added one more in the frame to push the score to 7-5.

“It’s not always about winning and scoring in the first few innings, but making sure we win the game in the end,” Alejo said.

In his first relief appearance since being bumped from the weekend rotation, Chandler Jozwiak shined. The lefty from Brenham entered in a tight situation in the fifth inning with A&M trailing 4-0 and runners at second and third with only one out. Jozwiak would limit the damage to one additional run.

Tarah Cochran, TexAgs

Jozwiak’s relief outing was just what A&M needed on the way back from a 5-0 deficit.

“Coming out of the bullpen tonight was awesome,” Jozwiak said. “I felt good about it. I was confident about it. I was just trying to get us back in the game and trying to get the momentum back on our side.”

A&M certainly tilted the momentum back in their direction, which allowed Jozwiak cruise. He tossed 3.1 innings, allowing just one run (an inherited runner in the fifth) and punched out four.

Following the game, Childress emphasized the importance of Jozwiak’s outing.

“If he wasn’t good tonight, we don’t win the game,” Childress said.

Bryce Miller, who has been shaky lately, relieved Jozwiak with two outs in the eighth. With NMSU threatening and Nick Gonzales at the plate representing the tying run, Miller induced an inning-ending groundball and would throw a 1-2-3 ninth to nail down his third save of the year.

“All around, there’s so many heroes tonight,” Childress said. “Very, very proud of our team.”

Bost’s and Jozwiak’s heroics clinched the weekend series for Texas A&M, which now finds itself on a three-game winning streak. The Aggies will give the ball to Chris Weber on Sunday afternoon as they aim to sweep of NMSU. First pitch at Olsen Field is scheduled for 1:02 p.m.