COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Texas A&M pitchers John Doxakis and Chandler Jozwiak combined to hold the Fordham Rams to two infield singles while striking out 16 as the Aggies opened the season with a 4-0 win Friday on Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park.
Doxakis allowed just one hit while striking out a career-high 12 in his 7.0 innings. Jozwiak scattered a hit and a walk with four strikeouts in 2.0 innings.
Logan Foster drove in a pair of runs for the Maroon & White on a two-run home run in the third. Jonathan Ducoff and Aaron Walters both knocked in a run.
UP NEXT
The Aggies and Rams return to action Saturday at 2:02 p.m.
SCORING SUMMARY
B2 | Mikey Hoehner started the rally with an infield single. Chandler Morris followed with a five-pitch walk and Allonte Wingate pushed both runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Ducoff broke the scoring seal with a sacrifice fly to centerfield. A&M 1, Fordham 0.
B3 | With one out, Bryce Blaum laced a single through the left side of the infield and Foster followed by blasting a 2-2 offering 402 feet for his first dinger of the year. A&M 3, Fordham 0.
B7 | With two outs, Ducoff hit a wall-banger to leftfield for a double and scored on Walters’ bloop single over the shortstop.
TEXAS A&M QUOTES
Head Coach Rob Childress
On pitching and catching...
“The pitching was outstanding and John Doxakis and Chandler Jozwiak were amazing and Mikey Hoehner caught his tail off, had to block a lot of tough sliders and he didn’t miss one. All night long, he caught his tail off and we did a lot of good things offensively from a two strike standpoint. Each one of the runs we scored we had some tough, two-strike at bats, but we were able to set some guys up and knock some innings down with some two strike at bats and it was just a great Friday night game.”
On the pitches tonight...
“We did use change-up. Dox got the change-up going through the second or third time through the line-up, and did an outstanding job. Both those guys were exactly on point, and what we expected and needed out of them tonight for sure.”
Junior LHP John Doxakis
On the importance of tonight’s start...
“Words can’t describe how awesome this is. Being able to start on opening day, I mean, that’s everyone’s dream and I’m just lucky enough to have that opportunity. It’s taken a lot, and not just from myself, my teammates have helped me so much, if you’re not having to go against Asa Lacy you just wouldn’t have the determination. That guy is so good. But you just keep that in the back of your mind, like he could take your spot any day, and it drives you.”
On what pitching strategies were used...
“Our plan throughout the game was just to attack for strikes, and make them put the ball in play, which they did a great job of, and I was really surprised, they caught me off guard when they came out swinging like that. That made me work really hard today, so I took that determination and said ‘Hey, I’ve got to make my pitches better,’ and that’s what it took, because they’re a great swinging team and from the start they were not striking out, so I knew I had to step it up.”
Senior 3B Jonathan Ducoff
On his opening day and suiting up for the Aggies...
“It was a dream come true. We had an incredible crowd tonight, the 12th Man really showed up. It was a whole lot of fun to be out there and experience that.”
On if he was nervous...
“I think everyone has a bit of first day nerves, you are not living if you don’t. I have been through this, it’s my fifth opening day. I think I’m just out here and enjoying baseball, and loving it now. The nerves were a little bit less, but definitely big stage, big difference, so it was fun.”
Junior OF Logan Foster
On opening day...
“You definitely have some butterflies coming out even as a third year guy, but to see what we did tonight and how we gelled as a team was something we are really going to look forward to moving on.”
On his home run...
“Bryce Blaum battled in his AB and got on. We have preached all fall that with two strikes we are going battle as hard as we can and we are going to keep winning pitches and pass it on to the next guy. I was just lucky enough to be able to get the big hit.”
