Crazy Eights: No. 10 Aggies take down Missouri, 7-3, behind five-run eighth inning

Game #28: No. 10 Texas A&M 7, Missouri 3
Records: Texas A&M (23-5, 6-1), Missouri (17-10, 2-5),
WP: Bryce Miller (4-0)
LP: Cameron Dulle (1-3)
Box Score

In one of the most chaotic and unique ballgames all season, the No. 10 Texas A&M Aggies knocked off the Missouri Tigers in a wild comeback that was fueled by five runs in the eighth inning. Each inning felt like a title was on the line in a game that showcased two SEC teams intent on winning this series. 

The game started out with more pitching and defense than offense, as these Friday night duels usually do. John Doxakis toed the rubber for the Aggies while Jacob Cantleberry took to the mound for the Tigers in a game that was sponsored by the letter “K”. Both pitchers rang up eight opposing hitters for a total of 16 strikeouts between the two teams. 

But this wasn’t just your ordinary, cut and dry showdown on the mound. This was a game that felt like a rollercoaster, starting and stopping when you least expected it. There was a total of three video reviews, plus a conference over a balk call against Doxakis that was ultimately overturned. Momentum quite literally swung on each and every play on Friday night. 

“Well it certainly was...we had more replays and more moments for that umpiring crew tonight than maybe we have seen collectively all year,” said head coach Rob Childress when asked about if the flow of the game was hard to manage.

The scoring started in the fourth when Tigers’ first baseman, Cameron Swanger, crushed a ball right over the plate and deposited it over the left field wall. With Cantleberry striking out Aggies left and right with his curve ball, a mere two-run lead felt like a mountain to overcome. Until the 6th inning, that is, when Braden Shewmake and Johnathan Ducoff both singled to start the inning.

One out later, it was still runners at first and second when Cantleberry balked on pickoff attempt, moving both runners into scoring position with Mikey Hoehner at the plate. Hoehner promptly sent a frozen rope down the left field line, tying the game at two each. 

“It’s like a whiffle ball game you play in the backyard, he’s going to throw a bunch of junk at you and you have to put a barrel on it,” said the Aggie backstop. “I got one down the line luckily and you just have to fight. That’s what we did.”

Missouri would tug the momentum back in the seventh when their centerfielder, Kameron Misner, singled home the third run of the game. Despite a very close play at the plate, after the third video review of the night, the runner was deemed safe and the Tigers had the lead once again. 

Usually “Olsen Magic” comes to play in the bottom of the 9th inning, but on a perfect Friday night at Blue Bell Park, fans were treated to an early appearance. Trailing 3-2, Braden Shewmake led off with a walk. Ducoff then followed with a bunt that stopped right in front of the plate. The Tigers’ catcher, Chad McDaniel, fired the ball high and wide of second base and both Shewmake and Ducoff moved up.

After a groundout and an intentional walk to Hoehner, Logan Foster came to the plate with the bases loaded and one away. He didn’t disappoint. Foster chopped an infield single deep in the hole and the throw from shallow left field was late.

But the Aggies weren’t done yet, now they wanted the lead. Enter Hunter Coleman, the hero from Tuesday night’s win over Lamar. Coleman drove a hard single into left field and two runs would score after the throw in was muffed by the first baseman.

Zach DeLoach would hit a sacrifice fly to center and Hunter Coleman would score on a wild pitch to give the Aggies a Friday night victory over the Tigers. 

“That was awesome, just a real team effort. Thirty-five guys sold out to one plan and it was truly special...that felt like a playoff game.”

Texas A&M will take their eight-game winning streak into game two of the series on Saturday afternoon. The Aggies will look to take sixth straight series of the year as they send LHP Asa Lacy to the mound tomorrow, with first pitch scheduled for 2:05p.m.