Texas A&M blanked in home finale as Alabama claims series, 11-0

Game #52: Alabama 11, Texas A&M 0
Records: Texas A&M (30-22, 12-15), Alabama (35-17, 13-14)
WP: Jacob McNairy (6-1)
LP: Troy Wansing (2-3)
Box Score

Sunday night flop. 

After a seven-hour start time delay due to wet conditions, Texas A&M dropped the rubber match and regular-season home finale to Alabama, 11-0.

Though the game was originally thought to be canceled, the rain cleared up, and the Aggies were able to get in the game with the Tide. 

“We determined that the field was going to be unplayable and that the forecast was for more rain,” A&M head coach Jim Schlossnagle said. 

For 15 minutes the game was believed to be canceled before the SEC halted that decision. 

“Apparently, their athletic director got involved, the league put a hold on it and then for a while we deemed the field unplayable, then they wanted us to work on it for a while,” Schlossnagle said. “Of course, then the sun came out.” 

With the loss, the Aggies now drop to 12-15 in conference play with one more series left on the schedule. 

“After what happened yesterday, this conference is not going to let you off the mat,” Schlossngale said. “You have to get off the mat yourself.” 

A&M was run-ruled at the hands of the Tide on Saturday and has now been outscored 23-1 in its last 16 innings. 

The Tide wasted no time asserting their dominance as they got out to an early 1-0 lead on a solo home run from Andrew Pinckney. The homer was Pinckney’s third of the series. 

Following Pinckney’s bomb, A&M starting pitcher Troy Wansing gave up a single and walked a pair of Tide hitters before giving way to Justin Lamkin.

Lamkin limited the damage by getting out of the first inning down one run. 

However, Alabama continued to find success at the plate as Tommy Seidl launched a grand slam to left in the second, helping the Tide build a 5-0 lead. 

Once again, the Aggies were behind early in a game. 

“The game still begins and ends with starting pitching,” Schlossnagle said. “No one will ever convince me different than that. If you’re constantly playing behind it’s really hard to do. 

“We have some pitchers that they need to check what's in their heart and see how competitive they’re gonna be. We can write any story we want to write, and that’s what I told the team.” 

From then on out, it was all about the Crimson Tide pitching.

Starter Jacob McNairy pitched seven innings, allowing no runs on six hits while striking out nine. He was relieved in the eighth by hard-throwing lefty Alton Davis II, who allowed only one hit in two innings of work. 

The Aggie pitching staff remained firm until the ninth inning.

But the tone was set early, and the bats couldn’t respond from the early blow. 

After adding five runs in the ninth, Alabama cruised to the finish line. 

One final series remains for the Aggies in the regular season as they travel to Starkville to take on Mississippi State beginning Thursday.