COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Texas A&M scored multiple runs in five different frames as the Aggies coasted to a 19-6 win over the Fordham Rams Saturday afternoon on Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park.
The Aggies pounded out 15 hits, drew 11 walks and were hit by five pitches for the offensive explosion. Will Frizzell notched a career-high five RBI, going 2-for-5 with a sacrifice fly. Bryce Blaum batted 3-for-4 with two walks and one double. Cam Blake was 3-for-5 with one hit-by-pitch, one run and three RBI. Jonathan Ducoff added three runs. Mikey Hoehner was 2-for-2 with three walks, three runs and one RBI.
Texas A&M got the leadoff runner on base in seven of eight innings. The Aggies batted .500 (4-for-8) with bases loaded.
Asa Lacy (1-0) recorded a career-high 11 strikeouts, yielding one on three hits and one walk. Dustin Saenz and Jake Nelson each worked 1.0 scoreless inning of relief.
The Aggies’ pitching staff record 14 strikeouts coming off the heels of Friday’s 16-K effort.
UP NEXT
The Aggies go for the series sweep Sunday with first pitch at 12:02 p.m.
SCORING SUMMARY
B1 | Blaum started the frame by depositing the first pitch he saw down the leftfield line for a leadoff single. With one out, Fordham second baseman C.J. Vazquez misplayed a grounder by Braden Shewmake, bringing Blaum around for the ice breaker. Shewmake moved to second on an infield single and scored on a throwing error by the catcher after a wild pitch. A&M 2, Fordham 0.
B3 | Logan Foster poked a leadoff single through the left side and Shewmake followed with a single through the right side to put runners on the corners. Hoehner drew a five-pitch walk to fill the bags with Ags. Foster was retired at home on a fielder’s choice grounder by Frizzell, but an error by the Rams’ third baseman on a grounder by Jonathan Ducoff brought in two runs. A&M 4, Fordham 0.
T4 | With one out, Jake MacKenzie singled up the middle and stole second base. He came around to score on a two-out single to right-center by Matt Tarabek. A&M 4, Fordham 1.
B4 | Zach DeLoach and Blaum drew walks to start the inning and both runners moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. Foster plated DeLoach with a sacrifice fly and Shewmake was hit by a pitch to put runners on the corners. Shewmake stole second and Hoehner was issued a base on balls to load the bases. Frizzell knocked in two with a single through the left side and Ducoff plated a pair with a gapper to left-center for a double. Blake capped off the cavalcade of runs with a single up the middle, driving in Ducoff. A&M 10, Fordham 1.
B5 | The Maroon & White offered no quarter in the fifth. Blaum singled through the right side and Foster and Shewmake each drew four-pitch walks to bring out the “Ball Nine” chant and load the bases. Hoehner’s walk scored Blaum and Frizzell pushed Foster across with a sacrifice fly. Blake singled to center to knock in Shewmake and Hoehner. A&M 14, Fordham 1.
B6 | Blaum reached base to lead off another inning, this time with a single to leftfield. With one out, Blaum was replaced at first by Ty Coleman on a fielder’s choice groundout. Coleman advanced to third on a double by Hoehner and scored on a fieldeing error by Vazquez, now playing shortstop, on a grounder by Frizzell. A&M 15, Fordham 1.
T7 | Jason Coules hit a leadoff home run to leftfield off Aggie reliever Brandon Birdsell. A&M 15, Fordham 2.
B7 | Hunter Watson, Blaum and Coleman sandwiched free passes around outs by Joseph Menefee and Allonte Wingate to load the bases with two outs. Brett Brown was hit by pitch to push Watson across and Frizzell laced a single through the right side to plate two. A&M 18, Fordham 2.
B8 | Blake started the inning with an infield single. With one out, Ty Condel was hit by a pitch and with two outs Wingate drew a walk. Coleman finished the Aggies’ scoring for the afternoon with an infield single to score Blake. A&M 19, Fordham 2.
T9 | The Rams’ ninth-inning came up short. The frame featured RBI singles by Jack Harnish and Terrence Murray, along with RBI groundouts by Domenico Doria and Jake Gurcio. A&M 19, Fordham 6.
TEXAS A&M QUOTES
Texas A&M Head Coach Rob Childress
On focusing for nine innings when scoring so many runs...
“That was kind of a point to the team after the game, we all love scoring runs. Well we did a really good job on the mound and played great defense for all nine innings. All around it was a really solid effort, in every facet of the game for us today.”
On Asa Lacy...
“He was dominating, and all three pitches were very good today. He had a long sit going out to finish the fifth. I made a decision to get some other guys in after that, but I thought he was outstanding and threw a lot of strikes and just wipeout stuff.”
Sophomore infielder Bryce Blaum
On being patient at the plate...
“We look to attack the fastball and then if it is spinning, then most of the times take it unless there is two strikes. Just as a unit we did a great job competing with two strikes today. I think we got eight hits, with two strikes as a team, which is incredible.”
Junior catcher Mikey Hoehner
On setting the tone early with the thrown out base stealer...
“Asa [Lacy] threw a pretty changeup on that pitch and I handled it weirdly. I got it quick and out and on. It was just a good play all around.”
On throwing the base stealer out from his knees...
“That usually doesn’t happen. I don’t think I’ve ever done that before. That was just a super weird play but I’m glad it worked out for us.”
On getting a lot of at-bats...
“When you just keep coming at them, it’s hard for the other team to get it going. When you get them down, you got to step on their throats, and that’s what we did today.”
Sophomore pitcher Asa Lacy
On the run support...
“It was huge that our offense got us off to the right start. I think they just had a great mentality going into today. I felt good on the mound [and was] on the same page with Chief [Coach Childress], and Mikey [Hoehner] back there was working hard for me all day long.”
On coming back to pitch after the Aggies batted for nearly a half-hour...
“You just got to stay loose in the dugout, [keep] a level head, and trust your defense. You’ve got the lead, so you just have to make pitches and trust your team.”
