A&M clinches fourth straight series with Saturday sweep of No. 13 Kentucky
Game #38: Texas A&M 6, No. 13 Kentucky 3
Records: Texas A&M (24-14, 8-8), Kentucky (29-8, 10-6)
WP: Evan Aschenbeck (6-0)
LP: Ryder Giles (1-1)
Save: Will Johnston (3)
Box Score
Game #39: Texas A&M 8, No. 13 Kentucky 7
Records: Texas A&M (25-14, 9-8), Kentucky (29-9, 10-7)
WP: Shane Sdao (1-2)
LP: Mason Moore (2-1)
Save: Will Johnston (4)
Box Score
Double-dipped ‘Cats.
In thrilling fashion, Texas A&M took both ends of a Saturday doubleheader from No. 13 Kentucky in Lexington. The Aggies prevailed 6-3 in the opener before coming from behind to win the nightcap, 8-7.
“It doesn’t happen very much, especially on the road in conference play, especially when you get down a couple of times,” A&M head coach Jim Schlossnagle said.
Three-run blasts put A&M ahead early in both contests. Brett Minnich’s big blow erased a 1-0 deficit in the third inning of game one before Jordan Thompson’s second-inning laserbeam staked A&M to a quick 3-0 lead in the late ballgame.
However, both A&M victories required dramatics over a Kentucky club that ranked No. 1 in RPI entering the weekend.
Another poor outing from Nathan Dettmer required more brilliance from Evan Aschenbeck, who worked 4.1 innings in relief while punching out four and coughing up two.
“Aschenbeck has been money in the bank all year,” Schlossnagle said.
Two innings after the Minnich bomb, A&M added two more on Jace LaViolette’s RBI single and Ryan Targac’s RBI groundout to build a 5-1 advantage. LaViolette also robbed Kentucky’s Hunter Gilliam of a seventh-inning home run.
However, the Aggies failed to capitalize on the nine walks, stranding 10.
Fortunately, Kentucky stranded 13 as Aschenbeck — and later Brandyn Garcia and Will Johnston — recorded key out after key out. That was perhaps unlikely given the Wildcats’ small-ball offense.
“They gave us some outs,” Schlossnagle said. “You can’t give them free bases. Every time we gave them free bases, they scored.”
A&M’s relief pitching in game one was outstanding. The Wildcats never drew closer than 5-3 as Johnston nailed down the first his of two saves, needing 14 pitches to record the final four outs.
“I just went out there and tried to be aggressive in both games,” Johnston said. “I think I get out there and try to think too much or do too much. Kind of the ace of spades is just being aggressive and trusting what you can do. That’s what I did today.”
Game two required even more drama.
A teeter-totter affair saw Kentucky battle back from an early 3-0 hole, scoring five unanswered runs against Troy Wansing, who provided necessary length in his first Southeastern Conference start in a month.
“He was outstanding,” Schlossnagle said of Wansing. “That’s a big, big sign for us. Hopefully, he can do it again next week.
“He threw a lot of strikes. He gave up some hits, but I didn’t think he was anything horrible. Had some tough luck but stayed right in the fight and did an awesome job.”
Wansing tossed six innings, but Reuben Church’s two-run homer with two outs in the sixth prevented the lefty from earning a quality start.
A&M rallied with two outs in the seventh as seven straight Aggies reached.
Hunter Haas drove in the proximate run, Trevor Werner’s bases-loaded walk tied the game, and a wild pitch brought home Haas to put A&M back up, 6-5.
Unfortunately, problematic pitching plagued the Aggies once more.
Chris Cortez failed to protect the lead, recording just one out and walking two as Gilliam’s two-run single allowed the home nine to assume a 7-6 advantage.
Brad Rudis and Shane Sdao were able to prevent the deficit from growing any larger than one run.
Still, the Aggies had one last comeback in them, and they saved it for the final stanza.
Facing Mason Moore, Jack Moss laced a one-out double down the left-field line. After pinch-running for Moss, Kasen Wells moved to third on Werner’s deep flyout to center.
Kentucky elected to intentionally walk the scorching Minnich, setting the stage for Austin Bost with A&M down to its final out.
“He gave me a pitch I could drive, and I did,” Bost said.
On a 1-0 pitch, the Aggie captain laced a double into the right-center field gap, and Minnich raced home from first in the final lead change of a long night.
“I’m a big believer in him and his competitiveness,” Schlossnagle said of Bost. “Glad to finally see him rewarded.”
Bost finished the game 3-for-5 and a home run shy of the cycle.
“It’s definitely a big weight off my shoulders,” Bost admitted. “I haven’t been able to get stuff to fall, but God’s got a plan, the game’s got a plan, and we just got to keep trusting the process.”
In his second appearance of the day, Johnston stranded the potential tying run at third. The left-handed closer used just 11 pitches to seal the second win of the day.
“Fortunately enough, I didn’t have to get up multiple times,” Johnston said. “I saw Brett score, and I was like, ‘OK, we’re winning by one now, so I think I’m going to go in.’”
With the pair of victories, A&M has clinched its fourth straight SEC series win as the Maroon & White now sit at 9-8.
“To come out here and take the series is absolutely huge,” Bost said. “We’re looking to sweep tomorrow.”
The series concludes on Sunday with a 12 p.m. CT first pitch.
