Aggie bats go cold, arms get hit hard in 8-2 loss to Sam Houston State

Records: Texas A&M 35-18 (15-12), Sam Houston State 32-20 (16-11)

WP: Dakota Mills (6-3)

LP: Turner Larkins (1-2)

The Aggies faced a familiar foe in Bearkats' right handed pitcher Dakota Mills. Mills pitched in last years contest, which saw the Bearkats win 5-0, and put on quite the display, going six and two thirds innings only giving up six hits on a shutout performance. 

The 2017 version of Mills proved to be very similar. The righty put up a stat line of the same six and two thirds innings pitched, the same six hits to go along with two runs and six strikeouts. Those two runs came off the bat of Hunter Coleman and Baine Schoenvogel, who each pinch hit in the seventh and hit back home runs. That comes to a grand total of 13 and a third innings pitched, ten strikeouts, 12 hits, and only two runs in two games for Mills. You could say that the Ags are tired of seeing the righty on Tuesday nights.  

"Mills has been fabulous against us both times he has thrown, he gets above the ball, throws downhill and is competitive," said head coach Rob Childress. "Again for the second year in a row, he has done a great job against us."

It was a much different story for the Aggie pitchers on the evening. Starter Turner Larkins surrendered one run on two hits in the first inning. Larkins lasted only four and two thirds innings on the bump, giving up four runs on five hits total, while walking and hitting a pair of batters each, compared to just two strikeouts.  

Freshman John Doxakis relieved Larkins and only lasted a third of an inning, giving up two hits and two runs, both of which came off the bat of catcher Robie Rojas for a two run home run.  After Landon Miner tossed a near flawless one inning of work, Cason Sherrod gave up the seventh run of the evening, going one inning, giving up one run on one hit and one walk.  

Kaylor Chafin entered to pitch for the Aggies in the eighth and promptly did what he has done all season long, tossing one inning and putting up zeros in every major category except strikeouts in which he had one. 

Mitchell Kilkenny threw the final frame for the Aggies, but couldn't find the same success. His evening saw one inning pitched, giving up two hits and one run. Kilkenny also hit one batter, but he did not come around to score.  

On the offensive side of the ball, it was obviously tough sledding all evening long for the Ags. There were chances to be had however. In the third inning George Janca and Nick Choruby hit back to back singles to put runners on the corners with one out. Nothing came out of it however as Logan Foster struck out swinging and Braden Shewmake grounded out hard to second base. 

The other chance came in the seventh inning which showcased the Coleman-Schoenvogel home run duo. Homan also reached via error after Schoenvogel and Janca followed with a single of this own before Nick Choruby ended the inning with a screaming ground ball that the short stop handled. 

"Tough loss, especially on a Tuesday night after the weekend we had losing games on Saturday and Sunday," said Blake Kopetsky, who finished then night 1-4. "I really don't know what Mills was doing up there. He was trying to get ahead with the fastball and whenever we would miss that, the breaker came next, but the easiest way to hit the breaker is to hit the fastball."

The Ags will now enter the final weekend of SEC play before heading off to the SEC tournament. This series presents the Arkansas Razorbacks to the Aggies in a three game set at Olsen Field.  Both the Thursday and Friday games can be seen on SEC Network +, while the Saturday game can be seen on the main SEC Network channel.

"Arkansas is a very motivated team who is very offensive.  Probably the most offensive team we have seen since Kentucky," said Childress. "They are experienced up and down that lineup and two lights out starters that we are going to have a hard time dealing with on Friday."