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Texas A&M Baseball: Freshman Lead the Way as Aggies Overpower the Pepperdine Waves

By Matthew Bartlett

Apr 16, 2016; Boston, MA, USA; The glove and bat of Toronto Blue Jays first base coach Tim Leiper (34) rests on the grass prior to a game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 16, 2016; Boston, MA, USA; The glove and bat of Toronto Blue Jays first base coach Tim Leiper (34) rests on the grass prior to a game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports /
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Game 2 – Saturday, February 25

Texas A&M 1-7-1 / Pepperdine 2-7-1 (extended box)

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It was the Waves that struck first on Saturday. With one away in the opening inning Aggie pitcher hit Pepperdine designated hitter Ben Rodriguez. Jordan Qsar doubled over Walker Pennington’s head in the next at bat and the Waves jumped in front 1-0.

The Aggies had an equally sloppy home half of the first inning. Cam Blake beat out an infield single. Then he was picked off first base following a failed bunt attempt by three hole hitter Braden Shewmake. Bunting with your three hole hitter in the first inning? That’s inexcusable. Texas A&M has struggled to bunt the ball early in 2017. That missed opportunity highlights an issue that needs to be addressed prior to SEC play.

If there is a grade worse than an F, that’s what I would have given to the Texas A&M baserunning on Saturday. In a very winnable game, four Aggies were caught stealing or picked off.

Texas A&M would trail until the third. Again with two outs, the Aggies executed the hit and run perfectly. Blake hit a shallow single to left field, driving in Choruby from second base to tie the game.

Aggies Fall Behind For Good

The Waves would take a 2-1 lead in the 7th on a scorching double down the right field line. Texas A&M would have a chance in the 8th, but would squander a two on, no out situation. Senior Austin Homan was picked off second and Blake would strike out a pitch later, killing all hopes of an Aggie rally.

Olsen Magic didn’t come through on Saturday, and the Aggies dropped their first contest, 2-1.

Saturday Takeaways

Stephen Kolek wasn’t as sharp as Hill was on Friday, but the defense behind him was stellar for the better part of the game. George Janca made three diving plays at the hot corner and Joel Davis made some great snags at first as well. If you want to win close games you need to be crisp with the glove, and Texas A&M did that for the most part on Saturday.

Pepperdine Starter Max Gamboa had 10 Ks. He got caught in two Ball 5 chants, but for the most part he gave Aggie bats fits. In another pitchers duel, the Aggies had to find ways to manufacture runs.

This isn’t an offense that’s going to hit a lot of homers, so effective base-running and timely hitting are all the more important in 2017. If there is a grade worse than an F, that’s what I would have given to the Texas A&M baserunning on Saturday. In a very winnable game, four Aggies were caught stealing or picked off.