Aggies break through against LSU in series finale, 6-2

BOX SCORE 

---

BATON ROUGE, La - The Aggies have a right to despise rain delays so far this season.

It killed their momentum against Arkansas, likely cost them an extra win against Kentucky and in Saturday’s 6-2 victory, it pushed their starting time back more than three hours.

Call it karma, baseball gods or maybe some good old-fashioned voodoo magic.

A&M was due to have things go their way for once.

In the opening innings of the series finale, everything and more fell its way. First, in back to back innings, LSU sent runners around third with two outs. Both times Logan Taylor gunned them at home to end the inning, the second passing through Blake Allemand before reaching its destination.

Despite four singles, a double and one Aggie error, LSU had nothing to show for it headed into the third inning.

During that following frame, A&M loaded the bases on a two out single from Mitchell Nau that ricocheted off the third baseman’s glove and towards the short stop. With three Aggies aboard, A&M did something it had yet to the entire series.

It made the most of a golden opportunity.

First, Logan Taylor smoked a 2-0 pitch into right center field and secured himself two RBI’s. Then, Hunter Melton hooked one straight at third base and the ensuing throw pulled the first baseman from his post.

Nau scored on the play and Taylor found himself 90 feet away from doing the same. Two pitches later, on Ronnie Gideon’s single through the left side, A&M had its biggest lead of the series at 4-0.

 While LSU routinely squared up Kyle Simonds through his five innings of work, the Aggie defense seemed to be in the right places to limit the damage. His head coach Rob Childress touched on his squad’s adjustments.

“We felt like we were well prepared going into it and they hit some balls where we weren’t the first two games.” He said. “Today, we were able to make them hit some balls where we were.”

LSU never seriously threatened A&M’s lead with the exception of the fourth inning. The Tigers mounted a charge with a one out double and scored their first run an out later with a single to right. Nick Banks came up throwing on the play and A&M had an easy out at second if the cutoff man, Hunter Melton, had not dropped the throw.

That play allowed Chris Sciambria to coast into scoring position. The play proved costly one batter later when J.B. Moss, in the middle of three Aggies, misplayed a fly ball to shallow center. The ensuing run cut the maroon and white lead in half at 4-2.

After those few mistakes, everyone watching had to wonder if A&M would unravel for the third time in as many days.

They didn’t, due largely to a bullpen that returned to its position as a strength for the first time in the series. Matt Kent made his first appearance from the pen all season, throwing nearly two innings of shut out ball. Andrew Vinson followed and pitched an equally gutsy and successful two and a third innings.

Those performances allowed the Aggies to create some important distance in the later innings.

“LSU, for the first two games, their bullpen was better than ours. Give them credit.” Said Childress when asked about both side’s relievers. “We’re deep into the season and we’ve counted on our guys in a big way. It just didn’t happen the first two games, but today, it was huge for us.”

With LSU hanging closely behind, Ryne Birk hit the first homerun of the series to give A&M a slightly bigger cushion after six innings.

A&M plated its final run on a pounded triple down the right field line off the bat of Allemand in the top of the ninth inning. One defensive stand away, A&M endured a bobbled ball from Hunter Melton and recorded three quick outs to secure the win.

While A&M leaves Louisiana with a single win, they take home much more from their trip than that. Nobody knows that better than the man in charge.

“I think we all (learned a lot) coming into this environment, with all the external influence that goes into a one versus two series. I’d say both teams were really amped up.” Childress continued on. “Throughout the series, I feel like we played a little more relaxed. Going forward playing in this crowd and environment is only going to do us good.”

The Aggies had to wait an awfully long time to wash away their conference woes.

But holding on after their latest rainstorm has to make this big victory just that much sweeter.