A&M holds on for game two victory over Ole Miss Friday night, 7-6
Game #24: Texas A&M 7, Ole Miss 6
Records: Texas A&M 19-5 (2-3), Ole Miss 21-3 (3-2)
WP: John Doxakis (4-0)
LP: Brady Feigl (5-1)
SV: Kaylor Chafin (2)
Box Score
For the second night in a row the A&M bullpen struggled, giving up four runs in the eighth allowing Ole Miss to pull within a run. However, a late two-RBI base hit by Hunter Coleman and a lockdown ninth inning from relievers Nolan Hoffman and Kaylor Chafin helped the Aggies take their first Olsen Field SEC victory for the season.
On a night when Michael Helman was a 3-for-5 night at the plate, Coleman had the big bases loaded single in the seventh and starter John Doxakis tossed six-and-two-thirds innings of one run baseball, head coach Rob Childress was quick with praise for third baseman Allonte Wingate.
"He's (Wingate) probably the MVP of the game today. I don't know how many chances he had over there at third, but he had a lot of tough ones and he made them all," said Childress after the game.
Wingate didn't rely on the bat, but instead brought a plus glove to the yard on Friday at a position where the Aggies have struggled throughout the early part of the season. He had a diving web gem-worthy stop in the fifth that helped save a run and retired all three Rebels in the ninth with putouts.
Starter John Doxakis was solid on the mound in the win for A&M. The left-hander tossed 6.2 innings, scattering eight hits, walking none and allowing two runs, one earned.
"He was really good today. It seems like he just keeps getting better and better," said Childress. He added, "He commanded both sides of the plate really well last week against Auburn and was gone a little earlier than he was this week. To (almost) go seven complete, he was incredibly competitive. About as good as you can be."
Freshman Will Frizzell got the Aggies going in the bottom of the second when he hit a no-doubt-about-it two-run home run over the wall in right-center. A&M would tack on another run in the fifth before freshman Hunter Coleman stepped up in the seventh with the bases loaded.
Coleman delivered with a rocket single back up the middle, scoring two and seemingly putting the game out of reach at 7-2.
But it was far from over. In the eighth the A&M relief combo of Cason Sherrod and Chandler Jozwiak hit two and walked one before Jozwiak surrenderd a grand slam to make it a one run game, 7-6.
However, this season's bullpen ace Nolan Hoffman and Kaylor Chafin came back and worked a scoreless ninth to secure the Aggies' first SEC home win of 2018.
"Tough loss last night but we had a short memory and bounced back. In this league you have to have a short memory since there is a lot of close games," said Hunter Coleman on his team's effort.
The Aggies return to Olsen on Saturday afternoon looking for a series victory with staff ace Mitchell Kilkenny on the mound. First pitch is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on SEC Network +.
