Pitching staff struggles as Texas A&M falls to Sam Houston, 9-2
Game #41: Sam Houston 9, Texas A&M 2
Records: Texas A&M (25-16, 9-9), Sam Houston (24-18, 15-6)
WP: Rome Shubert (2-2)
LP: Ty Sexton (1-2)
Box Score
More questions than answers remain for the Aggie pitching staff.
The cloud of uncertainty shrouding Texas A&M’s mound darkened on Tuesday night as they suffered a lethargic 9-2 loss to Sam Houston at Blue Bell Park.
“We have to show up to play every game,” A&M head coach Jim Schlossnagle said. “We can’t take the midweek games off or you’re not going to have a postseason.”
Another abbreviated opening by Ty Sexton was foreboding of the frustrating showing to come.
In his second straight midweek start, the freshman left-hander survived just 1.2 innings and struggled to dial in his command. He hit two batters, walked two and was charged with two runs.
But the worst was yet to come.
Sam Houston added an RBI double and their first two-run homer of the night in the third to establish a commanding 4-1 lead.
A four-spot in the fifth headlined by another two-run bomb extended the Bearkats’ lead further and flattened any hopes for a comeback by A&M.
“They lost a midweek last week to Baylor at home, so they came motivated,” Schlossnagle said. “I thought our guys were too. We just made some really bad pitches in the third inning and even worse in the fifth inning, and that set us back.”
All six A&M pitchers were restricted to 2.0 innings or less. Limited reprieve after the sixth inning was found with Jaren Warwick and Brandyn Garcia, the only two arms that didn’t yield a hit or run.
The Aggies only tallied six strikeouts. They walked five and also hit four batters. To make matters more unpleasant, the team also committed a season-high three errors and proved outright sluggish in all facets.
The closest A&M would come within the lead was in the first. Ryan Targac singled to center field and scored Jack Moss, forging a 1-1 tie.
It was all downhill from there.
Opportunities to shave the deficit were generous but weren’t capitalized upon. Stranding 12 runners, the Aggies batted a dismal .091 (1-for-11) with runners in scoring position.
Momentum was briefly grasped in the fifth when Jace LaViolette laced a ball to left field that rolled into the warning track for an RBI double, plating Trevor Werner from first. But Jordan Thompson struck out swinging to end the inning.
Executing pitches far better than A&M, the Bearkats combined for 13 strikeouts.
“With the exception of the last guy, they’re running guys to the mound with 7, 8 ERAs and opponents hitting .300 against them, and they’re shoving it up our rear ends, so you got to give those guys credit,” Schlossnagle said.
A&M is now 7-4 this season in midweek contests.
The loss undoubtedly stings for the Aggies. Yet, a quick turnaround won’t allow them to dwell.
A&M ventures to Fayetteville for a three-game set with No. 7 Arkansas starting on Thursday.
“We’re normally better than that, tonight we weren’t,” Schlossnagle said. “We’re not going to make too much of it. We got a big series ahead. We got seven games in nine days, and we got to get some rest and get back on the road tomorrow and play a top-five team.”
