A&M issues season-high 14 walks in series-opening loss at No. 7 Arkansas

Game #42: No. 7 Arkansas 7, Texas A&M 5
Records: Texas A&M (26-17, 9-10), Arkansas (30-11, 11-7)
WP: Hagen Smith (6-1)
LP: Brandyn Garcia (1-1)
Box Score

Fourteen.

Issuing a season-high 14 walks and squandering late opportunities, Texas A&M suffered its third consecutive loss as No. 7 Arkansas prevailed in a tightly-contested series opener at Baum-Walker Stadium, 7-5.

Some of the walks could be explained by a head-scratching and ever-changing strike zone, but most should be attributed to A&M’s ongoing inability to consistently throw strikes.

In 64 contests a year ago, they walked 220.

But this pitching staff appears intent on flirting with the dubious program record of 280 set in 1987.

So far, A&M pitching has walked 215 in 42 ballgames.

Four of Arkansas’ seven runs reached via a free pass.

Each of A&M’s six pitchers walked at least one batter.

Cade Ingersoll, TexAgs

Facing 19 batters, Troy Wansing struggled with command and yielded six walks. 

In reality, Thursday’s two-run loss could have (and likely should have) been much worse as Arkansas stranded 15 men throughout the night.

Aided by three consecutive one-out walks in the second, the Razorbacks hung a five-run frame on Troy Wansing capped off by Peyton Stovall’s grand slam.

Wansing walked a half dozen in three innings of work, departing with a 5-0 deficit that A&M ultimately erased.

Making Arkansas starting pitcher Hunter Hollan pay for command issues of his own, Jordan Thompson hit a laser-beam three-run homer to left-center in the fourth. Two batters later, Hunter Haas added a solo shot.

An inning later, Austin Bost’s sacrifice fly scored Trevor Werner as A&M evened the game. 

The score would remain deadlocked at 5-5 until Jace Bohrofen’s two-run homer in the eighth.

However, A&M whiffed prior chances to pull ahead.

Werner doubled to left-center to lead off the seventh. After Werner stole third with nobody out, he was left on as Brett Minnich, Bost and Jace LaViolette failed to drive him home.

An inning later would be even more difficult to stomach.

Back-to-back walks put Ryan Targac and Thompson on to begin the eighth. Travis Chestnut’s sacrifice bunt moved the duo into scoring position with one out.

Jamie Maury, TexAgs

Jordan Thompson was just one of two Aggies that recorded a multi-hit outing. 

Haas then looped a shallow fly ball to left, caught by Hunter Grimes. With Targac tagging in an attempt to score, Grimes delivered a perfect throw to the plate and completed a back-breaking double play.

Predictably, the decisive blow came in the next half inning when Bohrofen homered on the second offer A&M closer Will Johnston threw.

If hope is to be gleaned for a possible fifth-consecutive SEC series, the Aggies can point to Dave Van Horn’s lengthy usage of Hagen Smith. 

Smith, one of Arkansas’ best arms, likely won’t be seen again this weekend after tossing four innings and 70 pitches in relief. 

Of course, beating Smith would have meant much more than any potential moral victory.

Plus, the pitching woes still persist.

Based on Jim Schlossnagle’s comments on Thursday morning, Nathan Dettmer’s status this weekend remains uncertain.

Trusted relievers Brandyn Garcia and Johnston both pitched on Thursday, which could limit their role for the remainder of the weekend.

Left-handers Evan Aschenbeck and Justin Lamkin remain fresh entering Friday, and A&M will likely require their best (among others) to complete a weekend heist in Fayetteville.

Simply put, the Aggies will need to make the Hogs earn their way aboard when the series resumes on Friday at 6 p.m. CT.

Fourteen walks simply won’t cut it.