Aggie ace John Doxakis shines in 5-2 victory over No. 15 Baylor
Game #11: Texas A&M 5, Baylor 2
Records: Texas A&M (9-2, 0-0), Baylor (8-1, 0-0)
WP: John Doxakis (3-0)
LP: Hayden Kettler (2-1)
Box Score
Incredible, dominating, masterful. Just a few of words to describe the performance that John Doxakis turned in for game one of the Shriners Hospital Classic as the Aggies (9-2) sent the No. 15 Baylor Bears (8-1) packing, 5-2. Despite Baylor coming into the night undefeated and swinging red hot bats, Doxakis was able to hold the Bears to just one run on four hits and 12 strikeouts.
“It was kind of scary, honestly,” said Doxakis. “This is a hard game to hit in and they rake so we knew we had to mix it up well and locate.” Doxakis did exactly that as he had Baylor hitters completely fooled on virtually everything he threw after the third inning.
Early in the first, it looked as if Baylor might keep those hot bats rolling on command as CF Richard Cunningham roped a double into center field that went off the glove of Zach DeLoach. He would get to third on a wild pitch and come in to score on a sacrifice fly one batter later. This was the first earned run of the season against Doxakis, but the Aggies didn’t let that intimidate them.
As A&M came to bat, the Aggie faithful knew that the bats would have to come out to play tonight. They didn’t have to wait long. 2B Bryce Blaum jumped on a 1-2 fastball and found the second row of the famous Crawford Boxes in left field for a leadoff homerun. It was a special start to a special night in Houston.
It would remain 1-1 until the bottom of the 4th when the Aggie offense exploded. With one runner on, SS Braden Shewmake slashed a hard line drive to left that also took advantage of the ballpark’s layout and hit off the top of the wall for a two run homerun.
“I put my head down to run because I thought it was going to be off the wall,” said Shewmake after the game. “I saw it bounce back so I thought it was a double. I just put my head down to run until they told me to jog.”
Two more runs would come across for A&M in the inning as they got to the previously undefeated Baylor ace Hayden Kettler. Ty Coleman would drive home Will Frizzell on a ground ball to second base and Aaron Walters would single into right field to plate the fifth and final run for the Aggies.
That was more than enough for John Doxakis as he completed eight fantastic innings, despite battling some cramps, and punched out his 12th strike out to end a memorable night for the Aggie southpaw.
“It was a real emotional night. It’s always been my dream to play at Texas A&M and [I] know a bunch of guys at Baylor so you want to do your best tonight,” said Doxakis. “It was all heart and I really just want to do it for the guys behind me… I couldn’t do it without them.”
Closer Kasey Kalich came into the game in the 9th inning, and while he gave up one run, he ultimately shut the door out of the pen to secure the Aggies their 9th win on the season and a big game one in the Shriner’s Classic.
Texas A&M will take to the diamond again tomorrow for game two against TCU. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. with Asa Lacy set to take the mound against the Horned Frogs.