Game #5: No. 1 Texas A&M 4, Cal Poly 3
Records: Texas A&M (5-0, 0-0), Cal Poly (1-5, 0-0)
WP: Clayton Freshcorn (1-0)
LP: Jacob Torres (0-2)
Save: Luke Jackson (1)
Box Score
Apparently, they only ask how many.
A related question might be: "How many more of these can No. 1 Texas A&M endure?"
In Saturday's 4-3 win over Cal Poly, the Aggies battled uncomfortable weather conditions, erased a couple of one-run deficits and committed a pair of errors that led to two unearned runs.
Despite allowing the pesky Mustangs to hang around, the Maroon & White improved to 5-0.
"We are gritty. We are resilient," A&M head coach Michael Earley said. "They made it tough on us, but we also put ourselves in some situations that aren't conducive to success."
With rain falling off and on throughout and temperatures again in the 30s, that resiliency was indeed on display.
The gritty Aggies also outlasted an 86-minute weather delay that started with one out in the bottom of the eighth.
When play resumed, Cal Poly was gifted an unearned marker in the ninth and advanced the tying run to scoring position before Luke Jackson finally ended Saturday's proceedings.
"It's almost a point now that we know we're going to be better, and there's definitely room for improvement," said A&M reliever Clayton Freshcorn. "Being able to still get these victories and these wins is huge because we know we're going to be better and get better."
Jackson was required because Josh Stewart was removed after nine pitches with an apparent right-leg injury.
Earley said postgame he was unsure of the severity of Stewart's injury but confirmed it was unrelated to his prior right shoulder issue that slowed his preparation for the season.
All that late drama occurred hours after Justin Lamkin and Josh Volmerding dueled into the sixth.
The latter entered his second start of 2025 with a 13.50 ERA but held A&M in check until Wyatt Henseler and Blake Binderup doubled in the sixth to tie the ballgame at 1-1.
Volmerding lasted 5.2 innings, punched out eight and allowed just three hits.
"He was throwing four pitches really good, really jamming those righties in and giving lefties fits," Earley said of Volmerding. "He's really, really good. He really, really performed. We knew he was going to be good. I didn't quite think he was that good, but baseball will definitely play tricks on you sometimes."
Meanwhile, Lamkin surrendered just one unearned run in his six innings of work.
It was a Binderup error in the third that gave Cal Poly its first lead of the day as A&M failed to find any run support for their left-handed starter.
"I kind of put it in the back of my head and focus on my job, which is getting outs and keeping our team in a good spot to win the ballgame," Lamkin said.
He did so brilliantly.
The Mustangs' final run scored on a Jackson error in the ninth as he failed to touch first base on an awkward play that would have ended the game.
Cal Poly's middle run came in the seventh after Kaiden Wilson plunked the first batter he faced. A sacrifice fly with high-leverage righty Freshcorn deployed with the bases loaded made it 2-1.
"You can't really think about much in that situation other than minimize as much as you can," Freshcorn said. "I just wanted to pound the zone and get through it."
Earning his first win as an Aggie, Freshcorn limited the damage before the home nine took their first lead after the stretch.
Kaeden Kent singled, and Jamal George doubled to even the game. After Sawyer Farr was hit by a pitch, Gavin Grahovac's two-run double put the Ags ahead for good, 4-2.
"It's not the first time that we're going to face adversity," George said. "It was not the best conditions, the rain delay and everything, but it's not an excuse. We've got to clean things up, but we're going to get better."
Certainly impacted by the weather, A&M's vaunted offense has scored just 10 runs in two games vs. a Cal Poly pitching staff with a team ERA of 8.44.
The Aggies' Saturday efforts were hindered by the forgettable performances of Jace LaViolette and Hayden Schott, who accounted for seven of A&M's 11 strikeouts.
However, those are proven commodities, and that concern is a blip compared to the growing defensive issues.
Through five games, A&M has committed nine errors and surrendered five unearned runs.
Concerning? Yes. Debilitating? Not yet. Just look at the conditions they’ve had to suffer through.
But how much longer can A&M's modest winning streak survive with the current sloppy play?
The Aggies will aim for an initial polished performance on Sunday at 1 p.m. CT.
Smeghead4761 said:
Minor gripe for the writer: it would be helpful if, at the beginning of the story, you specified WHICH Cal Poly the Aggies were playing, because there are (at least) 3 Cal Poly schools.
Cal Poly - San Luis Obispo(SLO, pronounced like 'slow'). This is the team we're playing.
Cal Poly - Pomona
Cal Poly - Humboldt