Heartbreak in Baton Rouge: A&M falls to LSU in walkoff fashion, 4-3

GAME #42: LSU 4, Texas A&M 3
RECORDS: LSU 36-6 (13-5), Texas A&M 36-6 (12-6)
WP: Collin Strall (3-0)
LP: Andrew Vinson (3-1)

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Coming off a conference series that raised questions about this team’s current state, the Aggies had a chance to make a firm statement in Baton Rouge.

Throughout an up and down contest, A&M showed that they came focused and ready to win. They jumped out early, came back late and persevered through some costly mistakes. All the things you would want to see from a team in a tough environment.

Sadly for the maroon and white in Thursday’s 4-3 heartbreaking loss, it just wasn’t enough.

The Ags started hot in Alex Box with a double down the left field line from Blake Allemand. After going ten innings without getting a lead off man on base late in the Arkansas series, A&M could not have asked for a better beginning.

The first run of the game came across soon after when Nick Banks lined an RBI single into right field. Coming from second, Allemand scored without a throw home and A&M had its first lead.

In the very next inning, after J.B. Moss singled through the left side, A&M found itself on the good side of an infield error for what felt like the first time.

Logan Nottebrok hit a sharp ground ball towards second and the Tiger’s charging second baseman could only watch as it bounced off his wrist. The error put Aggies on first and second and after a poor attempt at bunting by Ryne Birk, up came Michael Barash.

The former Tiger ripped a single through the left side and just like that A&M had doubled its lead. With two men on and just a single out, the Aggies had a chance to pad their cushion before an inning ending 6-4-3 double play put a stop to those thoughts.

In the first two innings, A&M demolished pitches early in the count, but the once solid line drives soon turned into pop outs.

The Tigers saw that as an opportunity in the fourth and after a one out walk, they pounced.

With a man on first, LSU executed a hit and run to near perfection. Ryne Birk was pulled towards second with the runner moving, opening up a gap for the poked single to slide through. Then, for a moment, it looked as if A&M may escape the inning after a potential double play ball was hit sharply to Birk.

A slow transition led to just one out and LSU had cut the lead in half.

Before the inning came to a close, a stolen base and single through the left side scored the equalizer. We had a bona fide classic taking place and the rest of the game only proved that more.

As the crowd became more boisterous, the scoreboard quieted down. It stayed that way until the seventh inning when the Tiger’s claimed their first lead.

They utilized two walks sandwiched around a sacrifice bunt to place a runner 90 feet from home. With a 1-1 count, Ty Schlottmann forced a ground ball back to the mound and went with his instincts in attempting a double play. After the game, head coach Rob Childress shared his thoughts on the play.

“He jammed him so bad that the ball wasn’t hit hard. After the fact, it’s easy for me sitting over in the dugout, but in that spot, it’s probably best to get the out at first and move on to the next batter.”

Instead, after the double play attempt went awry on a throw that didn’t find it’s target, A&M was in need of some late inning heroics.

In the final two innings, A&M was able to load the bases. Those chances opened the door for multiple Aggies to walk through as the savior.

After getting nothing from the first chance, it looked like that man would be J.B. Moss in the last frame.

After a lead off triple, Moss represented the tying run just down the line from Logan Nottebrok. A single to right on a 2-1 pitch from Notte and A&M had silenced the Box. Two walks later and the bases were once again full. After a pitching change, it was Barash who had the chance to strike against his former school. He touched on the moment after the game.

“I talked to coach Bolt before the pitcher change and he said, ‘I love you and I’m glad you’re on my team.’ Any situation is the same, whether that’s 0-0 in the top of the first or in the bottom of the eighth down a run. We tried to take that same mindset up there, we just couldn’t break that barrier down.”

Barash eventually grounded out to short. Later, on a pitch he believed to be ball four, G.R. Hinsley struck out looking to end the Aggie opportunity.

That’s when the heartbreak came.

LSU, with a runner on second, punched one down the third baseline and into the corner for a walk off win.

Rob Childress talked about where his team goes from here following the opening defeat.

“We have to shake this one off and have a short term memory, then come out and get after them tomorrow.” He continued on. “We gave them our best shot tonight and made some mistakes along the way, but we had a chance at the end and that’s all you can ask for on the road.”

Now A&M looks to bounce back tomorrow with a first pitch set for 7:00.