Texas A&M baseball faces a tough matchup in Tuscaloosa versus the Crimson Tide
I don't know about most Texas A&M baseball fans, but I don't often think of the Alabama Crimson Tide as having a world-beater baseball program. The most recent, notable headline regarding the Tide was something a bit more lurid than rattling off a win streak, for example.
Year-old gambling scandals notwithstanding, the Tide are looking to make a name for themselves this year. They made some waves last weekend when they knocked off the top-ranked Arkansas Razorbacks, winning a hard-fought series 2-1 in Tuscaloosa to pave the way for the Aggies to take the top spot in the polls.
They now go from one #1 team to another with the Aggies coming into town, and you can bet that the Bama bunch are looking to slay a king once more. Texas A&M baseball, for their part, is looking to improve upon a 3-3 SEC road record. It's tough to win on the road in this conference, and the Aggies have been stellar at home, but given that three-quarters of all of your losses have come in such circumstances, you have to be at least a little bit concerned.
One thing that will easily wave away that concern, of course, is the bats this team boasts. From Grahovac to LaViolette to Montgomery—heck, even Appel—this is a team that can manufacture the long ball like no one else in America. The guys on the mound aren't too bad, either: Ryan Prager, the starter for tonight's game, is a true-blue, bona fide ace when he's in action. Tanner Jones has shown great stuff recently. Justin Lamkin has had some amazing performances and is looking to bounce back.
The key is composure. This will be a raucous environment, playing against a team with a lot of belief. If you can silence the crowd with some early, big time offense, then I feel good about the team's chances. One thing is for sure, though: nothing short of a series win keeps the Aggies atop the polls come Monday.