Aggie baseball bounces back in midweek tilt, stymies UTA, 4-2

GAME #41: Texas A&M 4, UT-Arlington 2
RECORDS: Texas A&M 36-5 (12-5); UT-Arlington (17-22)
WP: Turner Larkins (5-1)
LP: Brad Vassar (2-5)
S: Mark Ecker (8)
BOX SCORE

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COLLEGE STATION - After taking the first game from Arkansas this past weekend, the Texas A&M baseball team watched the last two games slip through its fingers.For the first time all season, the Aggies had a losing streak on their hands. .

They made sure it didn't overstay it's welcome.

With a couple of solo home runs and a pitcher-by-committee approach, Texas A&M defeated UT-Arlington, 4-2, Tuesday afternoon.The Aggies improved to 36-5 on the season and 12-0 in midweek bouts.

Shortstop Blake Allemand started the Aggies off early, leading off the bottom of the first inning with a shot off of the scoreboard in left-center field. Texas A&M took an early 1-0 lead into the second, but would be required to protect it early and often.

After an easy out, starting pitcher Turner Larkins gave up a single and two walks, loading the bases. In one of the defensive plays of the year, Logan Nottebrok dove and snagged a line drive from the next batter, tapping his glove on third base for an unassisted double play.

With the Maroon and White out of the jam, Hunter Melton repeated Allemand's feat from the first time up, blasting a lead-off solo home run over the fence and doubling the Aggie lead.

The Aggies got some insurance in the third inning when Nick Banks and Mitchell Nau each drove in a run with singles into left field. Carrying a 4-0 lead into the fourth inning, it seemed like it would be another easy midweek win for the Ags.

The bats went cold for the rest of the game, however and A&M was forced to rely on its pitching staff as it's hitters were unable to plate another run. Larkins, pulled after three innings of work, was responsible for two hits and three walks during his outing, but didn't allow a run.

Blake Kopetsky took the ball next and worked 1.2 innings for the Aggies, giving up 1 hit, 2 walks and 1 unearned run. Corbin Martin, next on the bump, had a similar appearance, allowing 1 run on 2 hits over the course of the next two innings.

Kyle Simonds was next in line for the Ags and got two quick outs before passing the torch to Ty Schlottman. Schlottman only faced two batters, but allowed a triple and hit a batter in the top of the eighth inning.

Head Coach Rob Childress handed the ball to closer Mark Ecker to put the Mavericks away. With runners on the corners and only one out, Ecker, who struggled in his last outing against Arkansas, threw eight consecutive strikes and turned in two strikeouts to get out of the jam.

Ecker carried that performance into the ninth, registering three quick outs to secure a win for his team. After his less-than-spectacular outing against the Razorbacks, the closer was ready to get back on the field.

"I was just ready to get back out there," he said. "Having a blow like that -- blowing a five-run lead is hard for anybody. So I was just ready to get back up there and do my thing again."

Texas A&M will need him to be ready to do it all over again this weekend in a high-octane series against the nations #1 team, the LSU Tigers. Head Coach Rob Childress believes his team will treat the test ahead like any other series.

"I'm looking forward to this challenge this weekend," he said. "It's great for our sport, college baseball, and it's great for our league that we've got #1 versus #2 this weekend. But my expectation is that our guys take it just like every other series and get in the middle of that fight as quick as we can and just go play good baseball."

Texas A&M will try to do just that as they travel to Baton Rouge for a three-game series, starting on Thursday at 6:30.