Rob Childress
Blake Allemand
Nick Banks
Texas A&M Baseball
As close as it gets: A&M uses extra innings to stay perfect in 4-3 win
GAME #18: Texas A&M 4, UTPA 3
RECORDS: Texas A&M 18-0; UTPA 8-5
WP: Corbin Martin (1-0)
LP: Andrew Padron (1-1)
Box score: Link
The Aggies have played in a number of close games lately and some how come away with wins.
Eventually, you would think things would add up just right and A&M would be on the wrong end of a break. In Wednesday’s 4-3 extra inning victory over UTPA, everyone was sure it was that day.
Everyone, that is, except for the Aggies.
Everything got started in the second inning, an inning that proved to be a tough one for the Aggie shortstop. After a routine chopped ground ball back to starting pitcher Brigham Hill, Blake Allemand got one right at his feet. He fielded it cleanly but the throw across the diamond was off the mark.
A slicing single into right center put men on the corners before a sacrifice squeeze bunt was laid down the first baseline. Hill was quick off the bump and flipped home for the second out. A&M looked as if it was headed back to the dugout before a ground ball to Allemand shot straight up in the air and into left field. UTPA scored from second and the Ags trailed for the first time since Dallas Baptist last Tuesday.
Matt Sachs, TexAgs
Nick Banks was huge in the A&M win going 4 for 5.
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A&M had more than its share of chances to put a man of their own across home and get on the scoreboard. In both the first and third innings, Mitchell Nau and Nick Banks got two out rallies started with back-to-back singles. Getting men in scoring position was as far as the Ags would get through four innings though, going 0 for six in those positions.
The Broncs extended their lead in the top of the fifth after a one out walk advanced to second on a ground out to Allemand. He would make it 2-0 when the next man up singled into right center.
The two stalwarts in the top of the A&M lineup got the Aggies in another position to close the gap in the bottom half of the inning. After a free pass was issued to Nau, Nick Banks ripped a single through the right side and for the third time, the two were on base. When Hunter Melton walked, A&M was a base hit away from equaling things up.
Instead, a groundout to second ended the inning and the Ags had left nine men on base for the second day in a row.
UTPA added another run in the sixth with a bases loaded single through the right side. A&M was lucky to get out of the inning without more damage as a 6-4-3 double got the Ags off the field.
Then, everything changed.
Lindsay Crouch, TexAgs
Ronnie Gideon's walk off sac fly ended the game in the 11th inning
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Up until the eighth inning, only Nick Banks and Mitchell Nau had gotten hits and the five through nine spots were a combined 0-12. Then, Blake Kopetsky led off with a walk and the comeback was about to begin.
Logan Taylor pinch hit for Jonathan Moroney and immediately ignited a spark with a double to left center that put two men in scoring position. Another pinch hitter in G.R. Hinsley, did something no other man in the lineup had been able to do all afternoon.
He got a hit with runners in scoring position and it was a beauty. Hinsley’s double down the left field line scored two and brought those who stuck it out within Olsen to their feet. Blake Allemand brought the Aggies all the way back when he took a full count offering through the right side. At that point, it was hard to believe in anything other than Olsen Magic.
“It’s always fun, Olsen Magic is real.” Allemand said of their late comeback. “We get a sense of excitement and we stepped it up a notch. It was a big time comeback.”
The energy from that eighth inning carried both teams past the ninth inning, where A&M had a runner on second but Ronnie Gideon grounded into a double play and into extra innings they went.
With the bases loaded and one out, Gideon stepped to the plate with another chance to finish things off. This time, he didn’t miss it. A hard line drive to center was misplayed and Nick Banks crossed the plate to push the Aggies to 18-0.
It wasn’t the way the team expected to get there, but nobody is complaining, including head coach Rob Childress.
“It would have been easy for us to just say, “This isn’t our day.” With the bad bounces and them getting a few timely hits.” He said of his team’s resiliency. “But I knew we weren’t going to go quietly. I knew we would make a run at them and we had enough courage to do it.”
Now the Aggies head into conference play with an unblemished record and a chance to extend it when the Auburn Tigers come to town for a three game series starting Friday.
RECORDS: Texas A&M 18-0; UTPA 8-5
WP: Corbin Martin (1-0)
LP: Andrew Padron (1-1)
Box score: Link
The Aggies have played in a number of close games lately and some how come away with wins.
Eventually, you would think things would add up just right and A&M would be on the wrong end of a break. In Wednesday’s 4-3 extra inning victory over UTPA, everyone was sure it was that day.
Everyone, that is, except for the Aggies.
Everything got started in the second inning, an inning that proved to be a tough one for the Aggie shortstop. After a routine chopped ground ball back to starting pitcher Brigham Hill, Blake Allemand got one right at his feet. He fielded it cleanly but the throw across the diamond was off the mark.
A slicing single into right center put men on the corners before a sacrifice squeeze bunt was laid down the first baseline. Hill was quick off the bump and flipped home for the second out. A&M looked as if it was headed back to the dugout before a ground ball to Allemand shot straight up in the air and into left field. UTPA scored from second and the Ags trailed for the first time since Dallas Baptist last Tuesday.
Matt Sachs, TexAgs
Nick Banks was huge in the A&M win going 4 for 5.
{"Module":"photo","Alignment":"right","Size":"large","Caption":"Nick Banks was huge in the A\u0026M win going 4 for 5.","MediaItemID":54200}
The Broncs extended their lead in the top of the fifth after a one out walk advanced to second on a ground out to Allemand. He would make it 2-0 when the next man up singled into right center.
The two stalwarts in the top of the A&M lineup got the Aggies in another position to close the gap in the bottom half of the inning. After a free pass was issued to Nau, Nick Banks ripped a single through the right side and for the third time, the two were on base. When Hunter Melton walked, A&M was a base hit away from equaling things up.
Instead, a groundout to second ended the inning and the Ags had left nine men on base for the second day in a row.
UTPA added another run in the sixth with a bases loaded single through the right side. A&M was lucky to get out of the inning without more damage as a 6-4-3 double got the Ags off the field.
Then, everything changed.
Lindsay Crouch, TexAgs
Ronnie Gideon's walk off sac fly ended the game in the 11th inning
{"Module":"photo","Alignment":"left","Size":"large","Caption":"Ronnie Gideon\u0027s walk off sac fly ended the game in the 11th inning","MediaItemID":54967}
Logan Taylor pinch hit for Jonathan Moroney and immediately ignited a spark with a double to left center that put two men in scoring position. Another pinch hitter in G.R. Hinsley, did something no other man in the lineup had been able to do all afternoon.
He got a hit with runners in scoring position and it was a beauty. Hinsley’s double down the left field line scored two and brought those who stuck it out within Olsen to their feet. Blake Allemand brought the Aggies all the way back when he took a full count offering through the right side. At that point, it was hard to believe in anything other than Olsen Magic.
“It’s always fun, Olsen Magic is real.” Allemand said of their late comeback. “We get a sense of excitement and we stepped it up a notch. It was a big time comeback.”
The energy from that eighth inning carried both teams past the ninth inning, where A&M had a runner on second but Ronnie Gideon grounded into a double play and into extra innings they went.
With the bases loaded and one out, Gideon stepped to the plate with another chance to finish things off. This time, he didn’t miss it. A hard line drive to center was misplayed and Nick Banks crossed the plate to push the Aggies to 18-0.
It wasn’t the way the team expected to get there, but nobody is complaining, including head coach Rob Childress.
“It would have been easy for us to just say, “This isn’t our day.” With the bad bounces and them getting a few timely hits.” He said of his team’s resiliency. “But I knew we weren’t going to go quietly. I knew we would make a run at them and we had enough courage to do it.”
Now the Aggies head into conference play with an unblemished record and a chance to extend it when the Auburn Tigers come to town for a three game series starting Friday.
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