Andritsos hits for the cycle as the Aggies sweep Cornell in doubleheader

Game 1 Box Score

Game 2 Box Score

Texas A&M swept Friday’s doubleheader against Cornell in two drastically different ways, winning a 3-2 pitcher’s duel in the first game and then shellacking the Big Red 22-0 in the nightcap at Olsen Field.

The Aggie offense put on a laser show in game two, blasting three homers and 10 extra-base hits en route to scoring the most runs in a game since June 2016. Chris Andritsos was the star of the night, going 4-for-6 with five RBI and three runs scored as he recorded the Aggies’ second cycle of the week.

“It’s strange — never in my life have I been a part of a cycle,” A&M outfielder Cole Taylor said after the game. “Not only to have one, but to see two in [four] days, it’s something special.”

After Chandler Jozwiak retired the Big Red in order in the top of the first, the Aggies quickly took the wind out of Cornell’s sails with a seven-spot on the scoreboard. A&M sent 12 batters to the plate and churned out seven hits in an inning that felt like it would never end.

Five of the first six Aggies recorded hits, including a double by Hunter Coleman and a triple by Andrtisos. Those two were back at it again in the second, as they sandwiched no-doubt home runs around a Logan Foster triple to give A&M an early 10-run lead.

Baine Schoenvogel got in on the action in the sixth, punishing a 3-2 pitch to deep left field for his first home run of the season. Braden Shewmake looked comfortable at the plate as well, going 4-for-7 at the plate with two RBI and three runs scored. 

In all, the Aggies racked up a whopping 29 hits while five pitchers combined to toss the team’s first shutout of the young season.

Andritsos got all three of the extra-base hits checked off in the first three innings of the game, but waited until the ninth to single sharply up the middle and complete the cycle.

“Everyone made it blatantly obvious that I needed a single, so you just try not to think about it. You just try to barrel the ball up and stay flat,” said Andritsos, who was questionable to even play this weekend after getting injured last Sunday. “I was just trying to get even with the ball and make an adjustment from last weekend, and I guess it paid off.”

A&M jumped out to an early lead in the first game, as Logan Foster lined a double to deep left field. Pierre Le Dorze got his glove on it but could not hold on as he crashed against the wall.

After Cornell tied it in the third with a walk, a hit, a hit-by-pitch and a groundout, the Aggies tacked on two more in the fifth. Aaron Walters and George Janca led off with back-to-back singles, Janca’s a sacrifice bunt attempt that he beat out and advanced Walters all the way to third. On the very next pitch, DeLoach lifted a fly ball to left for a sacrifice fly. Later in the inning, Braden Shewmake beat out a possible double-play ball with a runner on third to score another one.

Stephen Kolek was solid on the mound in the first game, as the junior righty overpowered the Big Red for six innings. He struck out five while only allowing three hits before Kaylor Chafin relieved him with a 3-1 lead to start the seventh.

The Big Red cut the lead in half after they got a runner to third and Ellis Bitar dunked an RBI single to shallow right field to score him, but Chafin recovered to induce a groundout to get out of the inning without any further damage. Nolan Hoffman took care of the final two innings, allowing only one baserunner to record his first collegiate save.

“With [Kolek’s] maturity and competitiveness, he was able to navigate through six innings and gave us a nice start,” head coach Rob Childress said. “And the bullpen hung on for us.”

A trio of Cornell pitchers managed to limit the Aggies to three runs on six hits in the series opener, with John Nitoli and Colby Wyatt combined for 3.2 scoreless innings of relief.

But it was an entire different story about 40 minutes later in game two, as the Aggies put on an offensive onslaught that brought back memories of their 22-run explosion in a 2016 NCAA Regional win over Wake Forest.

“I couldn’t be more proud of them,” Childress said. “We just played in every facet as well as we could possibly play in the second game. Things went our way from an offensive standpoint.

“We just had a great approach and it snowballed from there.”

Jozwiak earned his first collegiate victory, scattering two hits and no walks over five scoreless innings, striking out five.

Justin Oster, TexAgs

Jozwiak earned the first win of his career, tossing five scoreless innings against Cornell.

“He was much sharper this week than he was last week,” Childress said of Jozwiak. “A lot more confidence, he was on attack and certainly didn’t give them any hope.”

The huge lead allowed Childress to get a look at some new arms, as Asa Lacy, Jack Conlon and Jason Ruffcorn all pitched for the first time this season. Lacy showed the best stuff of those three, striking out the side on 12 pitches while flashing an 89-92 mph fastball to go along with a wicked 75 mph offspeed pitch.

On the day, Aggie pitchers allowed only nine hits and two runs in 18 innings, striking out 14 and walking five.

Texas A&M will go for the sweep Saturday at 2 p.m. The game can be seen on SEC Network +.