Frozen ropes from Blaum, Coleman propel A&M past SFA, 5-3
Game #4: Texas A&M 5, Stephen F. Austin 3
Records: Texas A&M (4-0, 0-0), Stephen F. Austin (1-3, 0-0)
WP: Bryce Miller (1-0)
LP: Seth Cambell (0-1)
SV: Kasey Kalich (2)
Box Score
On a glacial night at Olsen Field, Texas A&M improved to 4-0 on the young season, defeating Stephen F. Austin, 5-3.
Dustin Saenz got the start for A&M and the lefty turned in a solid effort, going four innings and giving up one run on five hits, while striking out a career high four hitters. The Lumberjacks went quietly in the first, but as the game progressed, SFA started to find the barrell on some of Saenz’s offerings.
“Saenz couldn’t have been better in the first inning. But give the Stephen F. hitters credit, when he made a mistake they hit it and hit him hard.”
“We played amazing defense on a day when it’s hard to play defense...probably the difference in the game.” said Head Coach Rob Childress.
Texas A&M would strike first in the bottom half of the opening frame after ‘Jacks starting pitcher, Seth Cambell ran into troubles with the strike zone and walked five A&M batters in 1.1 innings pitched. With runners on the corners, Mikey Hoehner took off for second base. The throw down was cut off by the Lumberjack’s second baseman, Antonio Lima, who had a chance to throw out Bryce Blaum as he was breaking for the plate. However, as Lima went to throw the ball, his grip on the wet baseball slipped and the ball bounced off the mound and to the backstop.
SFA would even the score in the second inning, but the tie only lasted until the fourth inning. In his first start as an Aggie, freshman third baseman Ty Coleman blasted a ball over the left field wall for his first career collegiate homerun.
“It was awesome experiencing that here, to be my first one, with these fans that made it out was just awesome,” said Coleman. “Just trusting the team and having guys like Zach DeLoach, Bryce Blaum, Logan Foster turning it over...I just wanted to get on base and drive the baseball.”
Mikey Hoehner would add another RBI in the inning to give the Ags a 3-1 advtantage. SFA didn’t quit, however, and stayed competitive throughout the entire game. The offense just wasn’t there for the Jacks when it was all said and done, as the Aggies would add two more runs in the fifth inning, including an RBI single that was roped into left field by A&M’s leadoff man, Bryce Blaum.
“He’s been huge,” said Childress about his second baseman. “He’s playing at an incredibly high level and [he’s playing] great defense and he’s a catalyst at the top of the order. He brings great energy and it’s infectious, very glad he’s on our team.”
Both pitchers turned to a plethora of arms throughout the contest, as SFA used six and A&M used five. Among those that toed the rubber for the Aggies were freshman Joseph “Mo” Menefee and A&M closer Kasey Kalich. While Menefee gave up one earned run in his first outing, Kalich was absolutely nails on the bump, striking out three in an inning and two-thirds and touching 95mph with the fastball.
“It’s the energy that the dugout brings,” said Kalich when asked what helps get them up for these cold midweek games. “Having your team behind you and having great guys in the dugout and on the field, that’s what allows you to get through this on the mound by yourself on a big stage like this.”
Texas A&M improves to 4-0 with the win, while SFA falls to 1-3. The Aggies will be back in action tomorrow night as they take on Prarie View A&M, first pitch is scheduled for 6:30PM with the left hander Chris Weber slated to make the start.