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Texas A&M Baseball

Mayhem in Mississippi: Ags win drama-filled opener over Ole Miss, 10-5

May 19, 2022
19,821

Game #50: No. 6 Texas A&M 10, Ole Miss 5
Records: Texas A&M (34-16, 18-10), Ole Miss (31-20, 13-15)
WP: Joseph Menefee (5-2)
LP: Dylan DeLucia (5-1)
Save: Will Johnston (3)
Box Score


The shift and shots lifted No. 6 Texas A&M to a contentious 10-5 Southeastern Conference baseball victory over Ole Miss in Oxford on Thursday night.

Dylan Rock belted a pair of home runs, Jack Moss added a solo blast and Will Johnston provided clutch relief pitching to boost the Aggies (34-16, 18-10) to their seventh win in its last eight games.

“I’m really proud of the way the guys battled,” Texas A&M head coach Jim Schlossnagle said. “The two home runs late, huge.”

The Aggies also remained tied for first place in the West Division race with Arkansas, which defeated Alabama, 7-3.

“We were just up there competing. We were putting good swings on balls, driving them, getting guys across the plate. Simple.”
- A&M left fielder Dylan Rock

“Keep playing baseball,” Schlossnagle said. “We’re still playing for a lot, but you can’t be thinking about external things. You just have to be thinking about winning pitches and playing the game one day at a time.”

A&M’s victory did not come easily. There was much more drama than the five-run margin would suggest.

The Aggies held a precarious 8-5 lead in the bottom of the eighth. Ole Miss (31-20, 13-15) had two on with two out.

“Even though we were winning the game, it didn’t feel like we were in control of the game because we didn’t throw enough strikes,” Schlossangle said. “We walked them eight or nine times, so we’re going to have to be better.”

Schlossnagle called on the left-handed Johnston, the Aggies’ third pitcher of the inning, to face left-handed hitting Jacob Gonzalez.

Gonzalez hit a line drive right at second baseman Ryan Targac, who was playing the shift in shallow right field.

Moss and Rock then hit back-to-back home runs in the top of the ninth off John Gaddis, the fourth of five Ole Miss pitchers to provide the final margin.

“We were just up there competing,” Rock said. “We were putting good swings on balls, driving them, getting guys across the plate. Simple.”

However, the blasts weren’t nearly as dramatic as Rock’s home run trot.

Ole Miss second baseman Peyton Chatagnier took exception to something Rock did or said and charged the A&M left fielder as Rock rounded second base.

Jamie Maury, TexAgs
A pitch behind Austin Bost in the ninth inning lead to some dramatics as pitcher John Gaddis and head coach Mike Bianco were both ejected.

That situation was quickly defused. But Gaddis intentionally threw behind A&M’s Austin Bost with the next pitch. Gaddis was immediately ejected along with Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco.

Johnston allowed just one hit in the ninth to earn his third save.

Early on the Aggies appeared on their way to an easy victory.

Rock hit a two-run home run and Troy Claunch had an RBI single in a three-run first inning off Ole Miss starter Dylan DeLucia (5-1).

The Aggies parlayed four walks, two errors and a single into four runs in the second as they took a 7-0 lead.

“Obviously, that was great for us to get off to a great start in that first inning,” Schlossnagle said. “We needed it. We didn’t score there for a while.”

But the A&M bats went dormant for the next five innings and the pitching began to struggle.

Ole Miss scored three runs in the second inning and added another in the fourth to chase A&M starter, Nathan Dettmer.

Joseph Menefee (5-2) came on to strike out Tim Elko to end the threat and eventually earn the victory.

Ole Miss kept the pressure on and pulled within 7-5 in the sixth.

“(Mason) Nichols, the kid that came in there did a great job for them,” Schlossnagle said. “Unfortunately, we gave up those three two-out runs to let them back in the game.”

“We’re still playing for a lot, but you can’t be thinking about external things. You just have to be thinking about winning pitches and playing the game one day at a time.”
- A&M head coach Jim Schlossnagle

A&M finally answered with a Jordan Thompson sacrifice fly to plate Bost in the top of the eighth.

But the Aggies could not relax until Targac made his catch in the shift and Moss and Rock hit their ninth-inning shots.

“We’re going to get after whoever we’re on the field with,” Moss said. “It doesn’t matter if we’re at home, on the road or wherever. It’s the same mindset every game. We treat every game the same, and we’re going to continue that going forward."

A&M’s series with Ole Miss resumes Friday night at Swayze Field in Oxford. First pitch is set for 7 p.m.

Discussion from...

Mayhem in Mississippi: Ags win drama-filled opener over Ole Miss, 10-5

14,203 Views | 7 Replies | Last: 2 yr ago by TheChameleon
OnlyForNow
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AG
Thanks for publishing this to the non-premium board Staff (BL, OB, etc!)
AggieBeavs86
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AG
He didn't throw behind Austin. The schmuck drilled him in the side with what appeared to be a kidney shot. Even the ole piss media team didn't understand why Bost came back up to the plate with the new pitcher after Gaddis was tossed.
jigsaw87
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Dallasag517
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AG
Agree with AggieBeavs. That pitch hit him. I still don't understand why he wasn't awarded first base.
Gil Renard
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AG
I hate Mississippi
aggie-91
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AG
yes---would really like an explanation on the hit batter and why the umpires apparently ruled he threw behind him.
That home plate umpire reacted immediately--so he knew what happend.
TheChameleon
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AG
Another Game 1, another great series opening win. Major reason obviously we've won 6 series in a row is winning Game 1 and got it done again. We came out swinging and totally took control of the game... Very tough for a team to rebound from 7-0. Amazing job jumping on them early and then some late insurance runs to seal it, along with great relief pitching. Overall just a really complete win with a lot of guys contributing.

This offense is relentless. Ole Miss' starter had been really good since being inserted as their #1 and we made it so difficult on him... It's just the same really great approach we've shown time and time again. We did not expand the zone, and when he did throw the pitches we were looking for we didn't miss them. So many barreled up balls. Huge game for Moss and Rock, they set the tone. Bost was fantastic as well, he just hits... Line drive after line drive. Great job keeping his composure after the dustup and still grinding an at bat after that, drew a walk. Claunch going inside out on the single, he's so good at that... And man Targac is blistering hot. He is turning into a complete hitter. Minnich and Werner had great swings, really impressive how hard Werner is hitting the ball the other way. Awesome game for Kaler, started the 2nd inning rally with a walk, single, then stellar defense all game including the dive up the middle. Thompson with the sac fly... This lineup just doesn't quit.

Dettmer was very sharp early until the strikeout wild pitch. Maybe it was just a coincidence but he wasn't quite as on point after that... Just didn't regain that form. Uncharacteristic with the walks, thought the stuff was fine overall but just was missing his spots a bit. Made a big pitch to Gonzalez in the 2nd to get out of that jam. Feel really good about Dettmer in Hoover, think he's going to have a great start. Nice work by Menefee getting Elko out with two on in the 4th. That and the Gonzalez grounder earlier were two very big outs in this game. Menefee's stuff was fine, good breaking ball, walks got him a bit at the end. He is a critical piece to this bullpen with his stuff & strikeout ability as well as his stamina like we saw in his long outing vs Vandy. Palisch settled in well, pounded the zone, all pitches were working. He was really locating... Continues to be super reliable. Hogan threw some nice sliders in his AB and Johnston was really solid... He has become a weapon late in games.

All in all this was another phenomenal win and on the road in a tough environment, against a team that's been playing really well. We have been extremely consistent and it's just very impressive in this conference with every weekend being a high caliber opponent. Confidence is high and now in position to win another series... A lot of momentum heading towards the postseason. Will be a battle next two games in Oxford first though... But great chance to grab another series.
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