Texas A&M sweeps Fordham in opening weekend after 3-1 Sunday win
Game #3: Texas A&M 3, Fordham 1
Records: Texas A&M (3-0, 0-0), Fordham (0-3, 0-0)
WP: Christian Roa (1-0)
LP: Kyle Martin (0-1)
SV: Kasey Kalich (1)
Box Score
The Aggies were able to wrap up a strong opening weekend with another win, completing the sweep of Fordham 3-1 on Sunday afternoon.
“We couldn't do much better than 3-0 after the end of the first weekend,” head coach Rob Childress said after the game. “Overall, [I’m] very proud of our team.”
Jonathan Childress started on the hill for the Aggies and pitched a strong 4.2 innings, striking out 3 and giving up just 1 run on 3 hits. He settled down after the top of the first, where a hit by pitch and a shallow hit to right following a collision between second baseman Bryce Blaum and right fielder Logan Foster saw runners get to the corners.
“We did make a couple of communication mistakes in the first inning,” Rob Childress said of the collision. “[Jonathan Childress] was able to keep it at zero, which was big.”
The Aggie bats started out slow as well. Rams’ starting pitcher Alvin Melendez threw just 18 pitches during the first two innings.
Melendez’s pace was thrown off in the third inning. An 11 pitch at bat from Jonathan Ducoff set the tone for the Aggies to start a long inning. The Ags eventually got the bases loaded after an error from Fordham shortstop Jake MacKenzie, a hit from Bryce Blaum and a walk from Cam Blake. The Aggies stranded all three on base.
The Aggie bats started to come alive in the fourth with hits from Logan Foster and Aaron Walters. With runners on second and third with just one out, the Aggies had a chance to manufacture a run. Now in trouble in back to back innings, Melendez responded by striking out Jonathan Ducoff for the second out to end his day on the mound. Junior pitcher Kyle Martin entered the game in relief for the Rams and ended the Aggie threat, forcing Hunter Coleman to ground out to second.
Aggie starting pitcher Jonathan Childress found his groove after his first inning. He retired the next 10 hitters after the top of the first, with Fordham failing to get another base runner until the top half of the fifth inning on a single by Nick Labella.
“I feel like I did pretty well,” Jonathan Childress said after the game. “The defense behind me was really good… The pitch calling was really good, and we do a good job scouting.”
Labella eventually came around to score on an RBI base hit from Fordham left fielder Jake Baker, ending Childress’ day on the mound. Christian Roa came on in relief and ended the top of the fifth with a quick strikeout of Fordham leadoff hitter Billy Godrick.
Down a run halfway through the game, the Aggies responded quickly in the bottom of the fifth with a leadoff walk from Zach DeLoach and a single down the right field line from Bryce Blaum. With runners on the corners, the Aggies were able to get their first run of the game off a sacrifice fly by Cam Blake. After consecutive wild pitches from Fordham relief pitcher Kyle Martin put a runner on third with only one out, another sacrifice fly (this time from Will Frizzell) gave the Aggies the lead.
The Aggies struck again in the bottom of the sixth on hits by Aaron Walters and Zach DeLoach. Taking a 3-1 lead into the final three innings of the game, Christian Roa continued to dominate the Fordham lineup to ensure the win. In his longest outing of his career, Roa fanned 5 batters and didn’t allow a baserunner through 3.1 innings of work.
“I was able to come in and just let my defense work for me,” Roa said of his performance. “[Mikey Hoehner] was doing a really good job and Coach was calling a lot of great pitches.”
Sophomore relief pitcher Kasey Kalich came on the ninth to earn the save, getting the Rams out in order to finish the game.
Texas A&M was led on offense by Bryce Blaum and Aaron Walters, who each had two hits in four at bats. The Aggie relief pitchers combined to go 4.1 innings and never allowed a baserunner, striking out 6 hitters. The team will be back at Olsen Field on Tuesday evening to face off against Stephen F. Austin.