Brigham Hill shuts down Texas Tech, Ags rack up 15 hits in 9-0 victory

Records: Texas A&M 9-1 (0-0), Texas Tech 9-2 (0-0) 

WP: Brigham Hill (3-0)

LP: Davis Martin (1-1) 

The Texas A&M baseball team took on Texas Tech Friday in the first game in the Shriners Hospitals Houston College Classic at Minute Maid Park, and they started the tournament with a bang, defeating the Red Raiders, 9-0. 

Facing the ace of the Red Raider staff in right-hander Davis Martin, the Ags piled on the hits and runs. All told, the Ags racked up 15 hits on the afternoon, with six of those going for extra bases and two flying over the fence for home runs. 

"I felt like we were the aggressors tonight, and it started with Brigham on the mound with great defense behind him," said head coach Rob Childress. "We had a great approach and wanted to use a lot of left-handed batters against Martin, who is great against right-handed hitters."

That barrage of runs kicked off in the first inning. Logan Foster doubled, and Joel Davis replaced him with a double of his own, scoring with ease. The real cavalcade of runs started in the third inning.  

In four straight frames, the Aggies put up three, one, two, and two runs, respectively.

In the third, Logan Foster doubled home Nick Choruby. The next hitter, Braden Shewmake, sent a towering home run over the fence to score two more for the Ags.

The next frame saw Choruby single home George Janca. In the fifth, a Janca single and an Austin Homan sacrifice fly scored two more for the Ags. The final runs of the afternoon came from the bat of Foster as he sent a pitch sailing over the right field fence for an opposite field home run.  

"It is a beautiful park, and getting the opportunity the play against the big time arms we are going to see this weekend is what college baseball is all about," said Foster. "Joel getting that hit in the first inning was huge for us. It put the momentum in our dugout for sure."

Foster, the freshman designated hitter, went 4-4 on the afternoon, with two doubles, the aforementioned home run, and a single to his name. The Nebraska native also scored three runs and drove in two. 

Davis, who came up a double short of the cycle in the Ags' midweek contest, was repaid by the baseball gods today with a pair of doubles, a single, one RBI and a run scored in five at bats. 

"Those baseball gods paid me back today, but you know games like this playing great teams like Tech, you can't take anything for granted. Runs are runs out there," said Davis. "The approach that we have been embedded with by Coach Bolt and Coach Seely definitely helped me out today."

The big story of the game was the pure dominance of Brigham Hill on the mound. The junior threw just under 90 pitches,  going seven complete innings with eight strikeouts compared to just two walks, and an unusual 1-6-5-6-4 double play on a pick-off attempt. Thus far on the season, Hill has compiled an impressive 2-0 record while maintaining a flawless 0.00 ERA.  

"I felt great, but early on I wasn't right where I wanted to be. Later on I was able to develop the fastball and the guys behind me were able to keep me relaxed. When they score runs like that, it makes my job a lot easier," said Hill. "I was telling the guys that was my second pick-off of my life, and it turned out to be a big game-changer out there."

The Aggies will continue play in the classic as they take on TCU tomorrow at 7:00 p.m. Stephen Kolek will be handed the ball against the Horned Frogs as they meet in a rematch of last year's super regional.