Rob Childress
Nick Banks
Jason Freeman
Texas A&M Baseball
A&M baseball holds off Houston Baptist for tough win, 4-1
GAME #8: Texas A&M 4, Houston Baptist 1
RECORDS: Texas A&M 8-0; Houston Baptist 5-3
WP: Jason Freeman (2-0)
LP: Curtis Jones (0-1)
S: Ryan Hendrix (1)
BOX SCORE: Link
Playing in tough conditions that forced officials to move the game up two hours, Texas A&M played its toughest game so far.
When the Aggies left Olsen Field with a 4-1 win, they did so by finally putting away a team that was hell bent on heading back to Houston with a victory.
Houston Baptist utilized two ground ball singles up the middle and a well-placed sacrifice bunt to jump ahead in the first inning, 1-0.
The Huskies threatened again in the fourth after center-fielder Zach Nehrir lifted a triple to left center. It would lead to the first of A&M’s magic tricks on the defensive side of the diamond.
TexAgs
The Aggie bats did just enough to give themselves a win against a determined opponent.
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A&M starting pitcher Turner Larkins buckled down and forced a weak infield fly, followed by a foul ball behind home plate to get himself and the Aggies out of a jam.
With the Aggies down a run and off to their slowest start of the young season, Nick Banks snuck a ground ball past a diving shortstop and into center field to give A&M a leadoff base runner in the fourth. Logan Nottebrok followed suit by chopping a single over third to put runners on the corners with no outs.
When Blake Kopetsky grounded into a 6-3 double play, A&M had its equalizer but was far from being out of trouble in this one.
After a quick out to J.B. Moss in center, Larkins grazed HBU third baseman Brandon Morones. Morones was thrown out trying to take second, just before A&M’s Hunter Melton mishandled a hard shot towards third.
Another hit batter and mishandled grounder, this time in shallow right by second baseman Ryne Birk, led to a bases-loaded meeting on the mound. Larkins would force a fly ball into left and A&M was out of trouble again.
“We had a lot of big moments and were able to get off the field without allowing a score,” Rob Childress said. “Our bullpen was fantastic tonight. I’m very proud of this team, maybe as proud as I have been all year.”
The bullpen Childress spoke of made its first appearance in the top of the sixth inning after a Nehrir single, followed by a sacrifice bunt and steal moved the Huskies into scoring position. A walk to put men on the corners spelled the end of Larkins second start.
In came Jason Freeman, who didn’t allow HBU to lay down a squeeze bunt and instead forced a soft line drive into shallow right.
The result was a magnificent catch from a jumping Birk. After a clutch strikeout and fist pump from Barash behind the plate, the score stayed knotted at one apiece.
It wouldn’t stay that way for long.
The Aggies added an insurance run in the eighth inning when Hunter Melton’s sac fly brought Kopetsky home.
A combination of Andrew Vinson and Ryan Hendrix kept the Huskies off the scoreboard and kept A&M’s perfect record intact through eight games.
“When it is 39 degrees or 75 and sunny, it is always good to get a win," Nick Banks said. “We’re going to do whatever it takes to win. We stuck to our approach and it paid off with our best at bats coming in the bottom of the eighth inning to get that extra run.”
A&M has another chance at a midweek win on Wednesday at 6:35 pm when Incarnate Word comes to town.
RECORDS: Texas A&M 8-0; Houston Baptist 5-3
WP: Jason Freeman (2-0)
LP: Curtis Jones (0-1)
S: Ryan Hendrix (1)
BOX SCORE: Link
Playing in tough conditions that forced officials to move the game up two hours, Texas A&M played its toughest game so far.
When the Aggies left Olsen Field with a 4-1 win, they did so by finally putting away a team that was hell bent on heading back to Houston with a victory.
Houston Baptist utilized two ground ball singles up the middle and a well-placed sacrifice bunt to jump ahead in the first inning, 1-0.
The Huskies threatened again in the fourth after center-fielder Zach Nehrir lifted a triple to left center. It would lead to the first of A&M’s magic tricks on the defensive side of the diamond.
TexAgs
The Aggie bats did just enough to give themselves a win against a determined opponent.
{"Module":"photo","Alignment":"right","Size":"large","Caption":"The Aggie bats did just enough to give themselves a win against a determined opponent.","MediaItemID":53731}
With the Aggies down a run and off to their slowest start of the young season, Nick Banks snuck a ground ball past a diving shortstop and into center field to give A&M a leadoff base runner in the fourth. Logan Nottebrok followed suit by chopping a single over third to put runners on the corners with no outs.
When Blake Kopetsky grounded into a 6-3 double play, A&M had its equalizer but was far from being out of trouble in this one.
After a quick out to J.B. Moss in center, Larkins grazed HBU third baseman Brandon Morones. Morones was thrown out trying to take second, just before A&M’s Hunter Melton mishandled a hard shot towards third.
Another hit batter and mishandled grounder, this time in shallow right by second baseman Ryne Birk, led to a bases-loaded meeting on the mound. Larkins would force a fly ball into left and A&M was out of trouble again.
“We had a lot of big moments and were able to get off the field without allowing a score,” Rob Childress said. “Our bullpen was fantastic tonight. I’m very proud of this team, maybe as proud as I have been all year.”
The bullpen Childress spoke of made its first appearance in the top of the sixth inning after a Nehrir single, followed by a sacrifice bunt and steal moved the Huskies into scoring position. A walk to put men on the corners spelled the end of Larkins second start.
In came Jason Freeman, who didn’t allow HBU to lay down a squeeze bunt and instead forced a soft line drive into shallow right.
The result was a magnificent catch from a jumping Birk. After a clutch strikeout and fist pump from Barash behind the plate, the score stayed knotted at one apiece.
It wouldn’t stay that way for long.
We’re going to do whatever it takes to win. We stuck to our approach and it paid off with our best at bats coming in the bottom of the eighth inning to get that extra run.
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Birk led off the inning with a double into right that landed just short of sliding outfielder Thomas Clay; the ensuing kick of the ball allowed Birk to take the extra base. Nick Banks replicated his fourth inning single by taking another ground ball up the middle, putting runners on the corner. After Nottebrok grounded out to short, Blake Kopetsky squared up a 1-0 offering and took it to right center, scoring Birk and Banks, giving A&M its first lead in the process.The Aggies added an insurance run in the eighth inning when Hunter Melton’s sac fly brought Kopetsky home.
A combination of Andrew Vinson and Ryan Hendrix kept the Huskies off the scoreboard and kept A&M’s perfect record intact through eight games.
“When it is 39 degrees or 75 and sunny, it is always good to get a win," Nick Banks said. “We’re going to do whatever it takes to win. We stuck to our approach and it paid off with our best at bats coming in the bottom of the eighth inning to get that extra run.”
A&M has another chance at a midweek win on Wednesday at 6:35 pm when Incarnate Word comes to town.
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