Rob Childress
Logan Nottebrok
Matt Kent
Texas A&M Baseball
Aggies demolish Missouri in first rubber match of the year, 14-6
GAME #29: Texas A&M 14, Missouri 6
RECORDS: Texas A&M 27-2 (7-2); Missouri 20-9 (6-3)
WP: Matt Kent (6-0)
LP: Peter Fairbanks (2-3)
BOX SCORE
Every Aggie had the same idea after Saturday's loss.
They wanted to respond and send a message to the rest of the league.
That message was sent in the loudest possible way during Sunday’s 14-6 demolition of Missouri.
During the series clinching victory, A&M displayed all the attributes you would expect to see from one of the nation’s highest ranked ball clubs.
They got a sterling starting performance from Matt Kent, who threw six scoreless innings on the way to his sixth win. While the junior left-hander worked his way through tight spots multiple times, none was more impressive or important than the one he pulled off in his final frame.
Three straight singles opened the inning and loaded the bases for the Tigers. With his back against the wall, Kent worked the clean up man, Josh Lester to a full count before sneaking a third strike by him. He followed that incredibly important punch out by forcing a ground ball to third. The ensuing 5-4-3 double play ended the inning and somehow stopped a single run from crossing the plate.
“No matter where a runner is on base, I know if I can get a ground ball, something good will happen.” The Waco native said of his big double play. “Those plays are huge momentum killers and when you turn so many of them, there’s a ton of momentum heading into your dugout.”
Normally, a performance like that would be the big story.
Normally, offenses don’t explode for 14 runs and nearly twenty hits following their only home loss of the year.
A&M wasted little time getting on the scoreboard as Nick Banks brought home Ryne Birk with a single to left in the opening inning. They added two more when Logan Nottebrok, making his first start in 12 games, hit a moon shot over the wall in left center.
“I was struggling at first and that is going to happen, nobody can be hot all the time.” Nottebrok said while discussing his slump busting homerun. “I almost forgot what that felt like, but it was great to get the monkey off my back.”
They continued to flex their muscles in the next inning when the only daily starter without a home run broke his slide. Mitchell Nau hit a solo shot to straightaway center and gave his team a 4-0 lead after three innings.
One more RBI by J.B. Moss stretched the lead to five, which would prove to be child’s play compared to the offensive outburst that took place in the next inning.
The A&M lineup took their sweet time in the sixth, 45 minutes to be exact, and scored nine times along the way. With the bases loaded, Mitchell Nau singled to center to score the first of many runs. With the bases still jammed, Logan Taylor decided to clear every one of them with a single swing.
Taylor’s grand slam to left center opened up an 11-0 lead and the Ags had yet to record an out in the inning. The barrage continued as A&M sent eight more men to the plate following the grand slam and scored four more runs.
Missouri would get on the scoreboard in the next inning and eventually cut the deficit to eight after scoring six runs in the final three innings. While it wasn’t a shutout, coach Rob Childress was happy with the way his team responded to adversity.
“We came out today and were ready from the word go. We didn’t take care of the ball well enough to deserve to win yesterday, but today we did and I was proud of the way we responded.”
That response, paired with LSU losing two of three to Kentucky could make Childress the coach of the number one team in the country, something he says they aren’t thinking about.
“I’d like to be number one at the end of the year. It’s great that they are recognizing our program, but it is all about how you finish.”
A&M will take another step toward the finish line Tuesday as Sam Houston State comes to Olsen Field. First pitch is set for 6:35.
RECORDS: Texas A&M 27-2 (7-2); Missouri 20-9 (6-3)
WP: Matt Kent (6-0)
LP: Peter Fairbanks (2-3)
BOX SCORE
Every Aggie had the same idea after Saturday's loss.
They wanted to respond and send a message to the rest of the league.
That message was sent in the loudest possible way during Sunday’s 14-6 demolition of Missouri.
During the series clinching victory, A&M displayed all the attributes you would expect to see from one of the nation’s highest ranked ball clubs.
They got a sterling starting performance from Matt Kent, who threw six scoreless innings on the way to his sixth win. While the junior left-hander worked his way through tight spots multiple times, none was more impressive or important than the one he pulled off in his final frame.
Three straight singles opened the inning and loaded the bases for the Tigers. With his back against the wall, Kent worked the clean up man, Josh Lester to a full count before sneaking a third strike by him. He followed that incredibly important punch out by forcing a ground ball to third. The ensuing 5-4-3 double play ended the inning and somehow stopped a single run from crossing the plate.
“No matter where a runner is on base, I know if I can get a ground ball, something good will happen.” The Waco native said of his big double play. “Those plays are huge momentum killers and when you turn so many of them, there’s a ton of momentum heading into your dugout.”
Normally, a performance like that would be the big story.
Normally, offenses don’t explode for 14 runs and nearly twenty hits following their only home loss of the year.
A&M wasted little time getting on the scoreboard as Nick Banks brought home Ryne Birk with a single to left in the opening inning. They added two more when Logan Nottebrok, making his first start in 12 games, hit a moon shot over the wall in left center.
“I was struggling at first and that is going to happen, nobody can be hot all the time.” Nottebrok said while discussing his slump busting homerun. “I almost forgot what that felt like, but it was great to get the monkey off my back.”
They continued to flex their muscles in the next inning when the only daily starter without a home run broke his slide. Mitchell Nau hit a solo shot to straightaway center and gave his team a 4-0 lead after three innings.
One more RBI by J.B. Moss stretched the lead to five, which would prove to be child’s play compared to the offensive outburst that took place in the next inning.
The A&M lineup took their sweet time in the sixth, 45 minutes to be exact, and scored nine times along the way. With the bases loaded, Mitchell Nau singled to center to score the first of many runs. With the bases still jammed, Logan Taylor decided to clear every one of them with a single swing.
Taylor’s grand slam to left center opened up an 11-0 lead and the Ags had yet to record an out in the inning. The barrage continued as A&M sent eight more men to the plate following the grand slam and scored four more runs.
Missouri would get on the scoreboard in the next inning and eventually cut the deficit to eight after scoring six runs in the final three innings. While it wasn’t a shutout, coach Rob Childress was happy with the way his team responded to adversity.
“We came out today and were ready from the word go. We didn’t take care of the ball well enough to deserve to win yesterday, but today we did and I was proud of the way we responded.”
That response, paired with LSU losing two of three to Kentucky could make Childress the coach of the number one team in the country, something he says they aren’t thinking about.
“I’d like to be number one at the end of the year. It’s great that they are recognizing our program, but it is all about how you finish.”
A&M will take another step toward the finish line Tuesday as Sam Houston State comes to Olsen Field. First pitch is set for 6:35.
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