Lamkin cruises as Texas A&M run-rules UTRGV in final midweek

Game #49: Texas A&M 11, UTRGV 1
Records: Texas A&M (29-20, 11-13), UTRGV (26-21, 12-12)
WP: Justin Lamkin (2-3)
LP: JC Ariza (1-4)
Box Score

For the first time in nearly two months, a Texas A&M starting pitcher has earned a victory.

With 5.1 strong innings on the mound, left-hander Justin Lamkin snapped a dubious 33-game streak in Tuesday's 11-1 run-rule victory over UTRGV at Blue Bell Park.

"We weren't really too aware of the streak," Lamkin said. "We all just went out there and made sure we do our jobs. We kept that in the back of our minds and just put our team in a good position to win."

Lamkin's win is the first by an Aggie starter since Troy Wansing's March 11 triumph vs. Northern Kentucky.

"I didn't even know that stat until one of my coaches told me about it the day before yesterday or something like that," A&M head coach Jim Schlossnagle said. "As long as we win the game, the whole (pitcher's) win thing is a statistic of the past for some reason, but I wish it would come back so we could have some dominant starting pitching."

Combining excellent fastball command with a newfound slider, Lamkin befuddled Vaquero hitters, striking out seven and allowing just two hits on the night. He walked none and ended a scoreless outing by punching out Kade York to begin the sixth.

"I had fastball-changeup, but the presence of that third pitch really helps you get deeper into games," Lamkin said. "I've been learning a new slider grip and trying to throw a true slider instead of a slower curveball. It has been working really well for me."

This start comes on the heels of his career performance vs. Tarleton, in which he struck out nine. 

"My stuff has gotten better progressively, physically and mentally, and just getting in the right mindset to go out and throw each game," Lamkin said.

Leaving to a resounding applause by the Olsen faithful, Lamkin departed by retiring the final 12 batters he faced. 

"I'm just excited for Justin because he's a guy that's got a great future in our program," Schlossnagle said.

After walking Montclair Cain with two outs in the seventh and surrendering back-to-back singles, Shane Sdao surrendered UTRGV's lone run.

In a season in which free passes have plagued Aggie pitching, the Maroon & White issued just one walk on the evening.

For Lamkin & Co., the job was perhaps made easier by the A&M offense scoring early and often.

"It's great when they go out there and score in the first inning," Lamkin said. "It gives you a confidence boost up there on the mound."

CJ Smith, TexAgs

Hunter Haas reached base and scored in each of his first three plate appearances along with a solo homer in the fourth. 

Trevor Werner's RBI groundout scored Hunter Haas before Jace LaViolette picked up the first of his three singles to score Jack Moss in the first.

"It's just baseball, no matter where you are in the lineup," LaViolette said. "It's just that you come up in different situations. That's what I have to think of it as."

Batting in the clean-up spot, LaViolette finished 3-for-4 with three RBIs. His average is now up to .287.

"It's a lot of fun," LaViolette said. "I still have a lot to work on, which I'm really excited about. I'm always trying to get better within this game."

Moss was the only other Aggie to register a multi-hit night, finishing 2-for-4 with three runs scored and an RBI.

A&M scored two more in the third before tallying individual runs on Haas' eighth round-trip of the season in the fourth and another marker in the fifth.

A five-spot in the bottom of the seventh ultimately enacted the mercy rule.

The Aggies stole nine bases, which is the most since setting the school record (12) vs. Northwestern State in 2006.

A highly-efficient offensive night, A&M only amassed four run-scoring hits, the last of which was Jordan Thompson's two-run single that ended the beatdown.

"It goes to show what coach (Schlossnagle) says works, and we just have to trust the process and believe whatever he says works," LaViolette said. "We have to trust the process and trust what we do, and it will all be OK."

That steady offensive attack allowed Lamkin to cruise, and cruise he did.

A confidence-maintaining midweek also allows the Aggies to carry a three-game win streak into their final home series of 2023.

A&M opens a three-game set with Alabama on Friday night, weather permitting.