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Aggie Baseball completes Fordham sweep with 3-1 Win

Posted at 10:16 PM, Feb 17, 2019
and last updated 2019-02-17 23:16:23-05

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Texas A&M continued their opening weekend dominance, completing a three-game sweep of the Fordham Rams, with a 3-1 win Sunday afternoon on Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park.
 
Bryce Blaum paced Texas A&M, going 2-for-4 with one run and one stolen base. Zach DeLoach batted 1-for-3 with a walk and a huge lead-extending RBI in the sixth. Aaron Walters added two hits.

Jonathan Childress made his collegiate debut on the mound for the Maroon & White, throwing 4.2 innings as the starter, allowing one run on three hits while fanning three. Christian Roa (1-0) earned the win, coming to relieve Childress in the top of the fifth. Roa retired all 10 batters he faced, posting career highs for innings (3.1) and strikeouts (5). Kasey Kalich earned his first career save, retiring all three batters in the ninth, including one strikeout.

Texas A&M extended their opening weekend success to a 33-1 record since splitting the series against Northern Colorado in 2008.

UP NEXT
The Aggies face Stephen F. Austin in midweek action Tuesday with first pitch at 6:32 p.m.

SCORING SUMMARY
T5 | C.J. Vazquez got things started for the Rams, hitting a one-out single though the right side of the infield. Vasquez advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on a two-out single to rightfield by Jake Baker.  Fordham 1, A&M 0.
 
B5 | DeLoach drew a leadoff walk to start a rally in the fifth. Blaum laced a 2-2 pitch down the right field line, advancing DeLoach to third. Cam Blake knocked in DeLoach on a deep sacrifice fly to center field. Blaum stole second base and moved to third on a wild pitch. The Rams intentionally walked Braden Shewmake to put runners on the corners. Will Frizzell hit a sacrifice fly down the left field line, plating Blaum for the go-ahead run. A&M 2, Fordham 1.
 
B6 | Walters reached first on a leadoff single to left field. Jonathan Ducoff replaced Walters at first when he grounded into a fielder’s choice. Ducoff stole second with a nifty slide around the second baseman and scored when DeLoach punched a two-out shot through the right side of the infield. A&M 3, Fordham 1.

TEXAS A&M QUOTES

Head Coach Rob Childress

On the sweep...

“We couldn’t do much better than 3-0 after the first weekend against a really good Fordham team who has outstanding pitching and really wants to press you offensively. We did a good job controlling that in a lot of ways. I’m proud of our guys, coming out today on a tough day with the wind blowing. We were very good on the mound and defensively, and found a way to answer right back after they scored the run there in the fifth.”

On responding to Fordham’s run...

“That was a defining moment of the game right there. We come right back with two, extend it again, and then had the chance to throw a knockout punch there in the seventh inning. We didn’t do that, but all-in-all, very proud of our team.”

Pitcher Christian Roa

On the feeling of winning...

“Jonathan Childress got us off to a really great start, and I was able to come in, just let my defense work for me, the catcher was doing a really good job, and the coaches were calling a lot of great pitches, so we just got it done, it was a great team win, and we’re really looking forward to SFA next week.”

On the approach taken in the windy conditions...

“We just try to go out there and attack. Coach Childress does a great job of getting us mentally prepared to just go out there and throw strikes, and our defense worked behind us because we know if we throw strikes, our defense can make any play behind us.”

Freshman pitcher Jonathan Childress

On his start...

“It was fun. I was ready to get out there. We’ve been scrimmaging since the fall and I was ready to face another team. It was fun to get out there. The fans showed out today, and it was a really cool experience.”

On having to wait until the third day of the series...

“I was actually on the charts, so I was still engaged. But yeah, I was just ready to get out there.”

Sophomore centerfielder Zach DeLoach

On getting the series sweep...

“It’s a huge jumpstart for us. Offensively, we were just relentless the whole entire series and I’m glad that we just got it started off on a good foot.”

On his approach at the plate...

“We always harp on saying ‘Fly through the gas.’ We always want to drive the ball instead of trying to lift it, so I think that’s the big key we took away from today and just having the attitude and the aggression just to come out here and do that.”