Texas A&M falls flat in all phases, loses SEC opener to Kentucky, 6-0

Game #19: Kentucky 6, Texas A&M 0
Records: Kentucky 13-6 (1-0 SEC); Texas A&M 14-5 (0-1)
WP: Sean Hjelle (3-1)
LP: Brigham Hill (4-1)
Save: None
BOX SCORE

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Texas A&M's performance at the plate has fallen off considerably over the last couple of weeks. After a torrid start to the season against the likes of Bowling Green, TCU and Texas Tech, the Aggies struggled to manufacture runs against Brown and Texas.

A&M's woes came to a head on Friday versus Kentucky.

Facing Wildcat starter Sean Hjelle, the Aggies connected for just four hits and were unable to score throughout the night. Cold bats coupled with a second consecutive up-and-down start for ace Brigham Hill, doomed the Aggies in a series-opening loss, 6-0.

Kentucky got on the board quickly. Hill retired his first batter of the day with little trouble, but Wildcat two-hole hitter Tristan Pompey gave Kentucky the lead soon after, launching a solo home run to straightaway center field.

The Wildcats doubled the lead in the third.

Hill gave up a lead-off single to start the top half of the inning and proceeded to hit a Wildcat with a pitch after a sac bunt, leaving runners on first and second. Two batters later, Kentucky left-fielder Zach Reks punched an RBI-single into left to give the Cats a 2-0 lead.

Hill controlled the game through the fourth and fifth innings but ran into trouble again in the sixth. Struggling to control his fastball, the junior hit two more batters and gave up an RBI-single with one out.

With runners on first and second, Kentucky's Tyler Marshall delivered a two-run double to the warning track in left field, giving the Wildcats a 5-0 lead and knocking Hill from the game. Hill threw 5 1/3 innings on the night, allowing 6 hits and 5 runs, while striking out 6.

"It was a pretty poor outing today," Hill said. "I couldn't locate my fastball inside. Their approach was just crowing the plate, and for me, I just had a tough time getting the ball in. I pegged four batters... and it's always hard to have success when you're giving up free shots like that."

Kaylor Chafin came in to end the sixth and escaped the frame without further damage. He surrendered an unearned run in the eighth, and Cason Sherrod closed things out on the mound for the Aggies.

While the A&M pitchers had a rough outing, the Aggies bats were worse. Baffled by Hjelle's arm, Texas A&M struck out nine times over the course of the evening en route to a complete game shutout by the Wildcat ace.

"It was a different angle than we've seen all season," catcher Hunter Coleman said of the 6-11 Hjelle's downhill style. "I think we got the barrel to the ball early in the game. I think he eventually overpowered us, and we kind of backed down from the fight late in the game."

Hjelle delivered a dominant, seven-pitch first inning and didn't look back, walking just one batter and tossing 117 pitches over the course of the game. The lanky hurler struck out three Aggies multiple times and dropped his ERA a full two points with his performance.

"In the Southeastern Conference, you've got to have a short-term memory," A&M head coach Rob Childress said of the loss. "It's all about putting this one to bed, coming out tomorrow with our heads pointing forward and giving our best effort."

Texas A&M will try to re-group tomorrow in the second game of the weekend series with Kentucky. First pitch is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.