George Janca delivered a two-out single to drive in Braden Shewmake in the 15th inning and lift Texas A&M to a 7-6 baseball victory over Davidson in game one of the Super Regional on Friday night at Blue Bell Park.
A&M (40-21) can earn a berth in the College World Series with another victory over Davidson (35-25). The series continues Saturday at 5 p.m.
Sparked by Nick Choruby’s two-run double in the second and Hunter Coleman’s two-run home running the fifth, the Aggies roared out to a 6-0 lead.
However, defensive miscues opened the way for Davidson to score three runs in the sixth and two in the seventh off starter Brigham Hill. The visiting Wildcats managed another off reliever Cason Sherrod in the ninth to force extra innings.
Davidson’s rally was aided by A&M’s failure to get clutch hits after the fifth inning. The Aggies left two runners on base in the sixth, seventh, eighth and 14th innings and left the bases loaded in the 11th.
That frustration finally ended in the 15th.
Shemake drew a lead off walk off off Davidson’s Westin Witmire. Hunter Coleman followed with a single. Blake Kopetsky then laid down a bunt, but Westin’s throw to third was late loading the bases.
Two outs later, Janca slapped a 0-1 pitch just out of the reaching of diving second baseman Alec Acosta and Shewmake crossed the plate with his right fist raised.
At the plate: Nick Choruby went 3-6 with two doubles, two RBI and a run scored. Also, in the fifth inning, first baseman Hunter Coleman blasted a two-run home run off the scoreboard just left of the 375-foot mark.
On the mound: Mitchell Kilkenny came on in the 10th inning with the score tied 6-6 and proceeded to throw 5 2/3 scoreless innings. He left with two on in the 15th after throwing 102 pitches. Previously, Kilkenny had not pitched more than 3 1/3 innings in any game.
In the field: Defensive gaffes by A&M in the sixth and seventh innings helped Davidson rally from a 6-0 deficit and move within a run. A throwing error by Hill on Brett Centracchio’s dribbler near the first base line seemed to spark a 3-run rally. Then, in the seventh, shortstop Austin Homan fielded a perfect double-play grounder near second base. He stepped on the bag to get the force out on Jake Sidwell but threw well over the head of first baseman Hunter Coleman for a two-base error that put Centracchio on second. He eventually scored the first of two Davidson runs in the inning.
Turning point: The Aggies held a seemingly comfortable 6-3 lead in the seventh. But then with one on, shortstop Austin Homan fielded a tailor-made double play grounder near second base. He stepped on the bag for the force out but threw wild to first for a two-base error. Davidson followed with a single, double and sacrifice fly to pull within 6-5. That boosted the Wildcats, who later rallied to tie and forced extended innings.
Good/bad move: Childress opted to start Walker Pennington, a .200, hitter in left field. Pennington responded by going 4-for-7 and scoring a run.
Did you see that?: Obviously, first base umpire Pat Riley did not. At least Riley appeared to make a poor call that ended the Aggies fourth inning. With two out, an inside pitch hit the nub of Cole Bedford’s bat. The ball rolled down the first base line and appeared to be in foul ground when Davidson first baseman Brian Fortier picked it up about a foot in front of the bag. Riley called fair and Fortier made the put-out unassisted.
Scoring summary
First inningDavidson: Cam Johnson K (swinging); Will Robertson K (swinging); Alec Acosta K (swinging).
A&M: Nick Choruby doubles into RF corner; Cole Bedford F-8, Choruby to third; Braden Shewmake 4-3, Choruby scores; Hunter Coleman reaches E-5; Blake Kopetzky fielder’s choice 4-6.
A&M 1, Davidson 0Second inningDavidson: Brian Fortier F-8; Eric Jones 3-1; Justin Lebek BB; Jake Sidwell fielder’s choice 4-6.
A&M: Joel Davis singles into CF: Walker Pennington singles to LF, Davis to second; George Janca SAC 1-3, Pennington to second, Davis to third; Austin Homan K (swinging); Choruby doubles to CF, Pennington and Davis score; Bedford F-8
A&M 3, Davidson 0Third inningDavidson: Brett Centracchio F-8; Max Bazin 1-3; Johnson 4-3.
A&M: Shewmake singles to RF off second baseman’s glove; Coleman singles to LF, Shewmake to second; Kopetsky K (swinging); Davis K (swinging); Pennington singles to LF; Shewmake scores, Coleman to third, Pennington to second on throw; Janca F-7.
A&M 4, Davidson 0Fourth inningDavidson: Robertson P-5; Acosta 5-3; Fortier 6-3.
A&M: Homan F-9; Choruby F-7; Bedford 3 unassisted.
A&M 4, Davidson 0Fifth inningDavidson: Jones 6-3, Lebek K (swinging), Sidwell K (swinging).
A&M: Shewmake singles to LF; Coleman home run to LF off scoreboard; Kopetsky F-7; Davis 3 unassisted; Pennington L-5.
A&M 6, Davidson 0Sixth inningDavidson: Centracchio reaches E-1; Bazin SAC 1-3, Centracchio to second; Johnson doubles to wall in CF, Centracchio scores; Robertson doubles to RF, Johnson scores; Acosta singles to LF, Robertson to third; Fortier SF-7, Roberson scores; Jones singles to CF, Acosta to second; Lebek K (swinging).
A&M: Janca K (swinging), Homan F-7 to wall; Choruby bunts for infield single; Bedford singles to LF, Choruby to second; Shewmake F-8.
A&M 6, Davidson 3Seventh inningKaylor Chafin pitching for A&M
Davidson: Sidwell singles to LF; Centracchio fielder’s choice 6 unassisted, Centracchio to second on Homan two-base throwing error; Bazin infield single, Centracchio to third; Johnson doubles to RF, Centracchio scores, Bazin to third; (New pitcher, Cason Sherrod); Robertson SF-9, Bazin scores, Johnson to third; Acosta 4-3.
A&M: Coleman K (swinging) ; Kopetsky singles to CF; Davis K (swinging); Walker infield single, Kopetzky to second; Janca F-8.
A&M 6, Davidson 5Eighth inningDavidson: Fortier F-9; Jones singles to RF; Lebek K (looking); Sidwell F-7.
A&M: Homan P-5; Choruby 4-3; Bedford reaches E-6; Shewmake singles to LF, Bedford to second; (New pitcher: Austin Leonard); Coleman fielder’s choice 6-4.
A&M 6, Davidson 5Ninth inningDavidson: Centracchio BB, Bazin SAC 1-4, Centracchio to second; Johnson singles to CF, Centracchio scored; Robertson fielder’s choice 6-4; Acosta F-8.
A&M: (New pitcher: Allen Barry): Kopetsky BB; Joel Davis fielder’s choice 2-6; Pennington K (swinging); Janca F-9.
A&M 6, Davidson 6Tenth inningDavidson: Fortier 4-3; Tyler Agard K (looking); Lebek 4-3.
A&M: Homan 6-3; Choruby L-7; Bedford F-7
A&M 6, Davidson 6Eleventh inningDavidson: Sidwell 4-3; Centracchio K (looking); Bazin singles to CF; Johnson infield hit, Bazin to second; Robertson 5-3.
A&M: Shewmake 6-3; Coleman F-9; Kopetsky bloop double to CF; PH Jorge Gutierrez Intentional BB; Pennington BB; Kopetzky to third, Gutierrez to second; (New pitcher: Westin Whitmire); Janca K (swinging).
A&M 6, Davidson 6Twelfth inningDavidson: Acosta K (swinging); Fortier K (swinging), Agard K (swinging).
A&M: Homan BB; Choruby SAC 1-3, Homan to second; Bedford fielder’s choice, Homan out on runner’s interference; Shewmake F-7.
A&M 6, Davidson 6Thirteenth inningDavidson: Lebek K (looking); Sidwell singles to LF; Centracchio reaches E-6, Sidwell to third. Sidwell picked off 2-5; Bazin singles to RF; Centracchio to second; Johnson F-7.
A&M: Coleman 5-3; Kopetsky K (looking); Gutierrez P-5.
A&M 6, Davidson 6Fourteenth inningDavidson: Robertson K (swinging); Acosta singles to LF; Fortier F-8; Agard K (looking).
A&M: Pennington singles to CF; Janca SAC, Pennington to second; Homan 6-3, Pennington to third; Choruby BB; Choruby to second on catchers indifference; Bedford K (looking).
A&M 6, Davidson 6Fifteenth inningDavidson: Lebek K 2-3; Sidwell F-7; Centracchio BB; Bazin bunt single, Centracchio to second; (New pitcher: John Doxakis); Johnson K (looking).
A&M: Shewmake BB; Coleman singles to RF, Shewmake to second; Kopetsky fielder’s choice 1-5; Shewmake safe at third, Coleman to second; Gutierrez P-2; Pennington P-7; Janca singles to RF, Shewmake scores.
A&M 7, Davidson 6