COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KRHD) — Texas A&M defeated Texas State 17-2 in an NCAA tournament regional game, powered by a dominant pitching performance from Weston Moss and a 20-hit offensive attack that broke the game open with a 5-run sixth inning and a 7-run eighth.
Moss, who started on the mound for the Aggies, allowed 2 solo home runs in the first two innings but settled in to strike out the side in the third — a sequence he said changed the course of the game.
"That third inning was pretty huge. I feel like that was the turning point, to be honest. That inning, I just felt dialed in, so I knew I was gonna carry it the rest of the game. Solo home runs, they don't kill you," Moss said.
Texas State struck first, with Salas homering to left in the bottom of the first and Cotton adding another solo shot in the second to take a 2-0 lead. Texas A&M answered in the fourth when Duer hit a 2-run home run to center, scoring Partida and giving the Aggies a 3-2 lead they would not relinquish.
The Aggies extended the lead to 4-2 in the fifth on an RBI single by Hacopian, then blew the game open in the sixth. A fielding error, 2 hit batters, and a 2-RBI single by Duer highlighted a 5-run frame that pushed the score to 9-2. Texas A&M added a run in the seventh on a Hacopian RBI double, then sent 11 batters to the plate in the eighth, scoring 7 runs on hits by Kellner, Sorrell, Hacopian, and Duer to make it 17-2.
Moss credited an in-game adjustment for his success after the early home runs.
"I think Texas State went out there looking for a changeup. So we just decided not to throw a changeup. So their approach was all over the place and it was easy, I guess," Moss said.
Moss received a standing ovation and curtain call from the crowd late in the game — a moment he called special.
"It could have been my last game there. So it was very special," Moss said.
Head Coach Michael Earley praised Moss's complete performance and noted his workload was managed with future rounds in mind.
"He did his job and he was phenomenal, like incredible performance, exactly what we needed. Also good too because we plan on playing for a while, so good for him to go off something like that because he is going to throw again this season. He held them down and gave us a chance," Earley said.
Caden Sorrell's double in the game made him the first Texas A&M player to record 20 home runs and 20 doubles in a season since Dalen Holt in 1999. Michael Earley reflected on what the milestone says about Sorrell.
"It just shows the kind of player he is. He's special, man. He's special. It's good to see him in a full season. We missed him last year and as a freshman he played a lot, but not a full season. He's incredibly talented, and when a guy like that plays that length of time, the numbers are going to show up," the coach said.
The offense also got a contribution from Terrence Kiel II, who was inserted into the starting lineup against Texas State's left-handed starter.
"TK brings an element and he's been working super hard. He had great live at-bats on Tuesday and Wednesday. He moved the ball, we needed to move the ball. He did a good job of setting the table that one inning. TK is a really good player and he's continued to work and stay ready to go, and that's why he's able to perform tonight," Earley said.
The Aggies will advance to play tomorrow. The coaching staff had not announced a starting pitcher as of the postgame press conference.
Texas A&M also confirmed that pitcher Aiden Sims has been shut down for the remainder of the season.
"He was going good. He was fine on Friday. It's just not there and for the best interest of the kid, he's not gonna pitch. He was a warrior this season. He's a huge part of why we're in this position. It's just not the right thing for him to go out there and throw," Earley said.
