Series Preview: Texas A&M vs. Illinois-Chicago
Who: University of Illinois-Chicago (0-3, 0-0 Horizon)
Where: Olsen Field @ Blue Bell Park – College Station, TX
When:
- Friday 6:30 p.m. CT (SEC+)
- Saturday 2:00 p.m. CT (SEC+)
- Sunday 1:00 p.m. CT (SEC+)
Pitching matchups
Friday: John Doxakis (LHP, 1-0, 0.00) vs. Jacob Key (RHP, 0-1, 9.64)
Saturday: Asa Lacy (LHP, 1-0, 1.80) vs. Patrick Martin (LHP, 0-0, 0.00)
Sunday: Jonathan Childress (LHP, 0-0, 1.93) vs. Joey Fredrickson (RHP, 0-0, 4.50)
Scouting Illinois-Chicago
Illinois-Chicago (UIC) got off to a shaky start with an 0-3 start in a tournament losing to Georgia Tech, Georgia State, and Kennesaw State. If you think the Aggies have gotten off to a slow start offensively, just look at the numbers registered by the Flames who managed to hit .153 as a team with an anemic .235 slugging percentage over the weekend. Matt Bottcher and Thomas Smart both lead UIC with a .300 batting average, but six Flames starters are hitting under .200, while two starters are still looking for their first hit of the season. The confidence level of UIC hitters isn’t very high, and that doesn’t bode well this weekend heading into the series against an A&M pitching staff with a team ERA of 2.20.
On the hill, the Flames will send preseason all-Horizon Conference right-hander Jacob Keys to face the Aggies Friday night. Keys opened the season against a good Georgia Tech squad and scatttered eight hits and coughed up three walks in a loss to the Yellowjackets. While he struggled in his 2019 debut, Keys is capable of shutting down a struggling Texas A&M offense if the Aggies aren’t focused for tonight’s game. UIC is making a change in the Saturday starting spot, moving lefty Patrick Martin from the bullpen to the starting rotation. He did have a scoreless outing against Kennesaw State in his first appearance, and he’s an experienced graduate transfer so the Olsen Field crowd should not affect him. Another fifth year pitcher, Joey Fredrickson, will toe the rubber on Sunday. The redshirt senior threw four innings and surrendered two runs in his start against Georgia State where he received a no decision.
The Flames actually stole a game from the Aggies at Olsen Field a few years back, so they are capable of pulling off the upset. Texas A&M will need to play with focus and a purpose of getting better. If they don’t, UIC can pose some problems. However, on paper this isn’t one of the stronger opponents coming to College Station in 2019.
Texas A&M storylines to watch
This weekend will be more about the Aggies than it will be about the opponent. As is the case in week two of the baseball season, there are still starting spots up for grabs and the batting order is still in flux. Offensively, the storyline begins with junior preseason all-American shortstop Braden Shewmake. Expected to lead the team in most offensive categories, the veteran has come out of the gates cold, hitting .188 with only three total bases and no runs batted in. That will surely change. Well, it better change or this lineup will be hard-pressed to generate adequate run production throughout the season. This team expected 55+ RBI and a .325-.350 average with plenty of extra base hits from Shewmake in the three-hole. The offensive game plan takes a major hit going forward if Shewmake is not the man keading this squad at the plate. Transfers Bryce Blaum and Mikey Hoehner have gotten off to a good start as expected at the top of the batting order, and that momentum needs to continue into week two. Cam Blake actually leads the team in hitting at .444 in limited at-bats. He came out of the game on Wednesday after hitting the wall hard, so his health and ability to increase his plate appearances this weekend will be something to watch. Blake signed with the Aggies as a highly-rated hitter, but injuries have slowed his development through his career at Texas A&M. Zach DeLoach came on strong offensively at the end of his freshman year and looked poised to have a breakout sophomore campaign in 2019, but he’s struggled during spring workouts. In the first five games, DeLoach is hitting just .214 and batting ninth in the lineup. If he can get back on track, that will go a long way in reversing this early season offensive funk by the team as a whole.
On the mound, A&M got off to a strong start last weekend, and they will look to continue their dominance in week two. John Doxakis and Asa Lacy delivered with an exclamation point on the high expectations as the best 1-2 punch since Michael Wacha and Ross Stripling in 2011. It’s hard to expect another 23 strikeout performance from the duo in 12 innings of work, but two more quality starts into the 7th inning would be enough to feel good about Fridays and Saturdays going forward. Jonathan Childress had a high quality college debut, surrendering just a single run in 4.2 innings. The key for his next start is to cut down on his pitch count and be a little more efficient in the early innings so he can stretch out into the 7th frame. The three weekend starters combined for just one walk. Thank you, sir. May I have another? You’ll take that every weekend (which is a major understatement), but realistically, if the starting trio can limit free passes to under five total, that’s a good goal to hit.
It will be interesting to see how Coach Childress distributes the work to his deep bullpen. With a starting rotation that is going strong, that limits the number of innings for the relievers. It’s a good problem to have, but this is the time of year where the coach uses these early games to figure out who he can rely on in tight situations. Given the sheer number of quality arms in the bullpen and the lack of game situations to date, we’ll have to see how Childress uses the bullpen this weekend with the Minute Maid Classic quickly approaching. If some games are well in-hand by the 5th or 6th inning, does he pull a starter to see what he has in the bullpen? The early returns have been excellent at the closer position with Kasey Kalich. Does he continue to build on his performances this weekend and lockdown the closer role once and for all? It’s looking that way at the moment.
What's at stake this weekend
From a résumé standpoint, there’s not much at stake this weekend. Sure, the Aggies need to win the series, and they are heavily favored to take the series against the out-manned Flames. But in week two of the season against a non-P5 conference opponent, there’s a lot to play for as this team is still searching for an offensive identity. We can chalk up the first week of offensive struggles to the cold weather and north wind, or we can say that you can’t make sweeping conclusions based on one week of baseball games in mid-February. However, this team does need to start getting the lineup hitting on a few cylinders, especially at home against a struggling Flames squad that shouldn’t put up a huge fight this weekend. Starting next weekend, the competition ramps up significantly with Baylor, TCU, and UH awaiting in the Minute Maid Classic. You’d like to see the offense get hot before heading to Houston, where those three games will be significant to the Aggies’ season résumé. Specifically, A&M fans want to see Braden Shewmake shake off his cold start to the 2019 season. On the mound, the Aggies need to keep the momentum going from last weekend and prove to themselves and the opposition that week one’s success wasn’t the exception, but the rule for 2019. Just more of the same on the bump, and the Aggies will go into the Minute Maid Classic riding high with a lot of confidence.