Aggies take down Rice, 8-3, behind another strong offensive performance

Game #23: No. 13 Texas A&M 8, Rice 3
Records: Texas A&M (18-5, 2-1), Rice (8-15, 0-3)
WP: Chandler Jozwiak (3-1)
LP:  Kel Brodwine (1-2)
Box Score

After sinking the top ranked Vanderbilt Commodores this weekend, the Aggies kept the good times rolling as they clipped the wings of the Rice Owls on Tuesday night, 8-3. The win improves the Aggies’ record to 18-5 on the year as they prepare to continue SEC play this weekend.

On an absolutely gorgeous Tuesday night at the ballpark, the evening belonged to a couple of new comers to the 2019 roster. Third baseman Ty Coleman and right fielder Johnathan Ducoff each came up with a big hit and accounted for five of the eight A&M runs batted in.

Coleman got the party started in the bottom of the first when he barreled up a 3-2 fastball and hit his third home run, a three run shot, of the season off of the left field scoreboard.

“I was really confident today in our approach,” said the Aggie freshman. “Staying on the heater, dominating the fastball, and luckily I was able to sneak one out of here in a big-time situation.”

The Aggies would add onto that lead in the second when Bryce Blaum looped an RBI single into center field, staking the Aggies to a 4-0 lead.

The pitching from both sides was an adventure to say the least. Each team trotted out six different hurlers for a grand total of twelve pitchers for the game as walks and strikeouts abounded. Southpaw Chris Weber got the start for A&M and struck out five Owls in 2.2 innings before being lifted in favor of Chandler Jozwiak, who also struck out five batters. Aggie pitchers struck out 11 but walked 6, while the Owls struck out 10 Aggies and walked 4.

“That’s something that I’m not real happy with,” said head coach Rob Childress after the game. “They know our goal is to lead the league in fewest number of walks and we certainly didn’t live up to that tonight, but we were able to get out of some jams and avoid a big inning.”

After Weber gave up a lone run on a sacrifice fly to right, the Owls wouldn’t score again until the 7th. The A&M bats, on the other hand, didn’t quit. The Maroon and White struck for three more in the 5th when Johnathan Ducoff singled through the left side to plate two. That brought his total to nine RBIs in the last four days. Not to be outdone, Ty Coleman would score a few pitches later when he swiped home on a delayed steal to the delight of the A&M faithful.

Tarah Cochran, TexAgs

Relief pitcher Chandler Jozwiak picked up the win on the mound against the Owls.

“We do baserunning before batting practice and just work on getting reads and jumps. We had full faith in our coaching staff,” said a smiling Coleman.

Rice would score their final two runs on an Andrew Dunlap moonshot off lefty Kyle Richardson, but A&M plated one of their own on a throwing error from the Owls’ third baseman to conclude the scoring and leave the scoreboard at 8-3 in favor of the home nine.

With Rice in the rearview mirror, the Aggies will take their No. 13 ranking and 18-5 record into an SEC series against the Kentucky Wildcats this weekend. John Doxakis will toe the rubber for A&M with first pitch slated for 5:30 p.m.