A&M unable to complete series sweep as Missouri takes finale, 13-5
Game #36: Missouri 13, Texas A&M 5
Records: Texas A&M (22-14, 7-8), Missouri (22-13, 5-10)
WP: Austin Troesser (3-2)
LP: Carson Lambert (1-1)
Box Score
A complete 360.
If proof was needed to show anything can happen on any given day in the game of baseball, Saturday proved just that.
The Aggies scored 13 runs in each of their last two games against the Tigers.
In the series closer on Saturday, Missouri got revenge as they took down Texas A&M, 13-5.
With a win, A&M could have been above .500 in Southeastern Conference play for the first time this season. Instead, they bump down to 7-8.
The tone was set early.
Four runs came across for the Tigers in the first inning. Luke Mann, who finished 3-for-4 with seven RBIs, launched a solo home run to begin the scoring. The inning was capped off by a three-run homer from Tre Morris.
“We mentioned that they’re not just gonna be on their heels for a third game in a row,” Trevor Werner said. “We knew that they were going to come out and be aggressive and wanting to punch us first and that’s what they did.”
In the third inning, a single, a walk and a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases for the Tigers before they added three more runs to their lead.
What’s been a common trend for the Aggies this season hurt their pitching staff once again on Saturday — free bases.
“I’m the worst loser ever but I can handle throwing strikes and getting beat, I just can’t handle free bases,” Texas A&M head coach Jim Schlossnagle said. “It’s so deflating. We had another great crowd and it’s deflating for them I’m sure.”
The Aggies allowed nine walks while also plunking two batters.
Carson Lambert got the start on the mound and was pulled quickly after Morris’ three-run homer in the first. In total, Lambert allowed four runs on three hits and one walk.
It was another game in which starting pitching failed the Aggies from the jump.
“We just don’t even give ourselves a chance,” Schlossnagle said.
Despite the continued pitching woes, A&M continued to hit the ball well.
The first three runs for the Aggies came via home runs from Werner. His two-run homer in the first went off the scoreboard in left. The second long ball got out in a hurry over the left-center wall.
“Felt good at the plate and felt like I was seeing the ball well in some competitive at-bats,” Werner said. “At the end of the day, it just wasn’t good enough.
“I felt like our offense stayed in it the whole time. Didn’t give in whether the score was tied or we were down by however many. That’s just how it goes sometimes.”
The rest of the runs for the Aggies came from the long ball as well. Jack Moss launched his fourth homer of the season into Section 12 in the fifth, and Jace LaViolette snuck one over the left-field wall in the eight.
Much like last season, the Aggies are still dealing with struggles on the mound late in the year.
Though, Schlossnagle is still confident in his pitching staff’s ability to get things on the right track.
“They all show flashes of it and I still come to the ballpark everyday thinking today’s the day,” Schlossnagle said.
An opportunity to get pitching figured out presents itself on Wednesday as the Aggies play host to Prairie View A&M at 6 p.m. CT.
