Aggies can’t overcome four-run sixth, drop first game to Louisiana Tech, 4-2

Game #10: Louisiana Tech 4, Texas A&M 2
Records: Texas A&M 9-1 (0-0), Louisiana Tech 6-4 (0-0)
WP: Matt Miller (1-0)
LP: Stephen Kolek (2-1)
Box Score

The Aggies suffered their first loss of the season Friday night in a low-scoring pitcher’s duel, 4-2, in their first game of the Frisco Baseball Classic at Dr. Pepper Ballpark.

Stephen Kolek scattered two hits over 5.2 innings and left with a 1-0 deficit and a runner on second, but Kaylor Chafin surrendered a crushing three-run home run to left that proved to be the difference in the game.

Chafin relieved Kolek with two outs, but could not strand the runner at second like he has done with such aplomb often throughout his Aggie career. He walked the left-handed hitting Parker Bates on six pitches, then left a 2-0 pitch over the heart of the plate to Tanner Huddleston, who smashed the mistake way over the left field wall to give the Bulldogs a 4-0 lead.

“[Chafin] needed to throw a strike in that situation, it was elevated and he didn’t miss it,” head coach Rob Childress said of the home run. “We went with the guy that we’re going to count on in a lot of big spots throughout the rest of the year and give Louisiana Tech credit — they made us pay.”

Kolek did not give up a hit until the fourth inning, but he had to work around traffic on the bases all evening. He walked Bulldogs leadoff hitter Hunter Wells in the first but stranded him at second with a strikeout. Kolek then hit Bates with a 1-2 pitch in the second inning only to have Hunter Coleman erase him moments later on a stolen base attempt.

Kolek flirted with trouble again in the fifth as Bates led off with a single up the middle, and then Huddleston reached base on a sacrifice bunt attempt. The next batter laid down a bunt as well, but Coleman pounced on it and threw to third to get the lead runner, and then Kolek induced back-to-back groundouts to keep the game scoreless.

"I thought it was a good fight," Kolek said of his start. "Louisiana Tech had a solid lineup one-through-nine and I thought they did a good job of putting the bat on the ball and hitting any pitch that was in the zone. Credit to them for having a solid approach at the plate."

Meanwhile, the Aggie offense struggled to get anything going against Louisiana Tech starter Matt Miller. The junior righty was nearly untouchable, peppering both sides of the plate with a high-80s fastball that missed A&M’s barrel all night long to go along with a sweeping slider.

Miller allowed an unearned run and five hits over seven superb innings to earn his first victory of the season.

“He dominated the strike zone tonight,” said Louisiana Tech head coach Lane Burroughs. “He absolutely pounded the strike zone, he had great fastball command and his secondary stuff was tremendous. A&M is the best offensive club we’ve played all year and they’ll bounce back, but to see him do what he did to those guys is impressive.”

Miller did not allow a runner to get into scoring position until Coleman doubled to right-center in the seventh.

Jeff Toates, TexAgs

Miller allowed only five hits and no earned runs in seven innings of work. 

“He was throwing all pitches for strikes and when a guy is doing that, it can be tough to hit,” said A&M outfielder Logan Foster. “We kind of got away from ourselves in the first few innings, and we just have to put it to bed and be ready to go tomorrow.”

The Bulldogs finally broke through against Kolek in the sixth as Chris Clayton singled to right with a runner on second. Allonte Wingate’s throw was off-line, and Chris Andritsos’ relay throw was as well, allowing Skelton to slide around Coleman and score the first run of the game.

A&M scored a run in the seventh thanks to a Tech throwing error and added another in the eighth on an RBI single by Logan Foster, but the comeback attempt came up short as Baine Schoenvogel’s pinch-hit fly ball to left died at the warning track and then Helman grounded out to first for the final out.

“We need to continue to grow as a team, and the only way we’re going to do that is being uncomfortable,” Childress said. “It exposes your weaknesses and things that you need to improve on. We’re certainly leaving the field understanding what we’ve got to do better to compete against the better teams around.”

A&M will try to get back in the win column Saturday night when the Aggies take on Baylor. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. in Frisco.