Appel walks off Roadrunners with third homer in 6-5 comeback win

Game #33: No. 3 Texas A&M 6, UTSA 5
Record: Texas A&M (29-4, 8-4), UTSA (19-14, 7-2)
WP: Chris Cortez (4-1)
LP: Robert Orloski (3-4)
Box Score

Three oppo-tacos.

Jackson Appel’s third opposite-field home run on Tuesday night was a walk-off blast as No. 3 Texas A&M defeated UTSA, 6-5. 

“Played about as brutal of baseball you can possibly play that I even remember an A&M team playing; either one I’ve coached or one I’ve seen play,” A&M head coach Jim Schlossnagle said. “It’s out of character for us to kick the ball around, but I’m really proud of our team for staying in the fight.”

As Schlossnagle noted, the Maroon & White endured a brutal start to the game.

By the third inning, A&M had committed four errors. By the fourth, they faced a 4-0 deficit. 

The first ball that left the yard for the Aggies’ cleanup hitter was what finally ended the bleeding.

Appel’s solo blast helped break A&M through after loading the bases in the first and second but failing to score.

His second homer — a two-run shot — followed a leadoff single by Braden Montgomery and trimmed the deficit to 5-3. 

With one out in the bottom of the ninth, Appel delivered the knockout blow, which sent the 4,826 fans in attendance home happy.

“You’re just up there trying to get on base and put a good swing on a ball in the zone,” Appel said. “I got one and it somehow got out, not really sure how.” 

Appel came into the contest with three home runs on the season.

By the end of the night, that total was doubled.  

However, if it weren’t for the late-game rally, Appel would never have had the chance to lead the Aggies to victory.

A&M got within a run in the fifth inning after Ali Camarillo’s RBI single but then went scoreless the following two innings. 

However, a big-time hit came when needed the most.

Camarillo led off the eighth with a walk before scoring on Caden Sorrell’s triple into the right-center gap.

Despite Sorrell reaching third with no outs, A&M was unable to take the lead as Daniel Garza punched out the next three batters. 

Another element that allowed the Aggies to come storming back was the phenomenal relief outing from Chris Cortez.

Will Huffman, TexAgs

Appel became the 11th Aggie in program history to record three homers in one game.

Cortez tossed four scoreless innings, allowing just two hits while punching out seven batters.

He was dominant.

“I think it’s just me having fun,” Cortez said. “I’ve grown up a lot this year with the help of Max Weiner, myself and my teammates. You play the game, you don’t let the game play you.” 

Having Cortez throw the way he did on a consistent basis would add depth to an already solid bullpen. 

“It wasn’t sustainable beating myself up all the time, trying to be this perfect pitcher when you can’t be perfect,” Cortez said. “I just go out there and be the best version of myself and have fun doing it.” 

Cortez has a saying on the mound to avoid “beating” himself up: “One pitch at a time, one inning save.”

According to Schlossnagle, Cortez couldn’t successfully execute a pickoff move when he arrived at A&M. 

With two outs and a runner on first in the eighth, Cortez caught Zane Spinn leaning at first and picked him off to end the inning. 

“If we just knew eight out of ten times that we were going to get that the rest of the season, we’re an infinitely better team,” Schlossnagle said. “I’m the one who needs to make the adjustment probably, to just get him the ball more.” 

Will Huffman, TexAgs

Striking out seven in the final four innings, Chris Cortez picked up his fourth win of the season (4-1).

More depth may also arrive as Troy Wansing made his first appearance of the season coming off a back injury. 

Although it was not an ideal outing for Wansing — who pitched just 0.2 innings, allowing a run on one hit — it was good for the lefty to get back on the mound. 

“It’s just a matter of ‘Is he going to be who he was?’ Don’t know,” Schlossnagle said. “He had a pretty significant injury. Can he be a piece to help us? Yes. He knocked the rust off of being out there, so we will look for an opportunity to do it again.”

The duo of Cortez and Wansing could be an X-factor for the Aggies the rest of the way.

With the win, the Aggies improved to 29-4 in the regular season and 9-0 against in-state competition.

They also got revenge on a Roadrunner team that won 5-1 at Olsen Field last season.

“UTSA is really good,” Schlossnagle said. “They’re 7-2 in the American conference, which is a really good baseball league, so that’s a big win for us tonight.” 

All eyes now turn to this weekend’s series as the third-ranked Aggies play host to No. 6 Vanderbilt.