Prager punches out 13 over seven scoreless as No. 7 A&M routs Rhody

Game #14: No. 7 Texas A&M 11, Rhode Island 0
Records: Texas A&M (14-0), Rhode Island (2-8)
WP: Ryan Prager (4-0)
LP: Connor Grotyohann (0-3)
Box Score

It has officially reached insanity.

Through four starts, left-hander Ryan Prager has now tossed 23.2 innings of scoreless ball.

The Aggie ace added seven more shutout innings in No. 7 Texas A&M's 11-0 rout of Rhode Island on Friday night at Blue Bell Park.

Dominance does not even begin to describe it.

"We had a great plan going into the game, and it's just awesome for me to play with these guys," Prager said postgame. Overall, it was just an awesome night, and I look forward to keeping it going."

Whatever the plan was, he perfected it.

Prager fanned a career-high 13. He did not walk a batter. The Rams mustered just one hit off him.

He retired 21 of the 23 batters he faced, including the final 10 in order.

Of Prager's 92 pitches, 74 were strikes.

Not once did Prager face a three-ball count. Only five times did he get into a two-ball count.

Through his first three frames, he had more strikeouts (7) than balls (4) on an efficient 38 pitches.

That's dominating the zone.

"It just means that we're living our plan," Prager said. "If our plan and our mantra is 'Dominate the Zone,' then you have to live it. You can't just talk about it."

Thus far, he certainly has been about it.

His ERA remains a perfect 0.00. On the year, he has racked up 40 strikeouts against just three walks.

Already A&M's ace, Prager is just seven days away from his first chance to solidify himself as a true SEC Friday night arm.

That opportunity will come at Florida.

"He has pitched well against everybody," A&M head coach Jim Schlossnagle said of Prager. "He has faced some teams that are down the line a little bit, and he pitched well against what I think is a good offensive team in Arizona State.

"The real challenge is facing really high-end SEC hitters. I'm sure he's up for the task. Strikes play anywhere. He might get hit a little bit, but strikes play."

A&M’s offensive approach also plays.

As he had in each of his first three starts, Prager received more first-inning run support.

In fact, the Aggies scored in every inning except the sixth, as Rhode Island's pitching was severely overmatched.

Of their 10 runs, eight came with two outs as A&M batted an incredible .353 (6-for-17) with runners in scoring position and .467 (7-for-15) with two outs.

Shockingly, only Gavin Grahovac and Ted Burton enjoyed multi-hit nights, with the former launching a two-run blast in the third.

Grahovac finished with three RBIs.

Zoe Kelton, TexAgs

Gavin Grahovac added his third-round tripper of the season on Friday. 

Nine of A&M’s 12 hits went for extra bases, including Jace LaViolette's seventh homer of the year, a fifth-inning solo shot.

"This is the best offense I've ever seen," Travis Chestnut said. "One through nine, there's not a single hole in the lineup that's not going to do damage, that's not going to win pitches, that's not going to execute their plan.

"To be able to have a scary lineup one through nine, it's dangerous, and I think it could take us a long way."

Chestnut also had a double in his first start of the year while playing second base.

Regardless of who plays, the Aggies have been consistent at the plate, on the mound and in the field.

Consistency has been key.

Behind Prager, Brett Antolick and Eldridge Armstrong III completed A&M's fifth shutout of the year. The staff ERA is now 1.50

The constant firepower in the lineup has now produced seven double-digit scores. The Aggies are averaging 10.2 runs per game.

They have been consistently dominant.

And A&M has the 14-0 record to prove it.