Recap: Aggies Offensive Start Chops Down Lumberjacks
COLLEGE STATION — Texas A&M baseball will rely on their three-man rotation to carry the team into conference play. For now, the bats could be the reason for the team's offensive success.
The second and third innings saw the Aggies' bat around Stephen F. Austin's Reece Easterling. And while the former College Station High School product returned to Aggieland, A&M thwarted his homecoming in a 13-4 win to remain undefeated for the start of the season.
Easterling (0-1), who recently joined the Lumberjacks (1-3) from the junior college level, would go 2 1/3 innings, allowing five runs on five hits with a strikeout and three walks. During the second, catcher Mikey Hoehner would draw a nine-pitch walk with two outs to load the bases. The Aggies (4-0) would score five runs off four hits, placing the College Station native in trouble early.
"He [Hoehner] took a lot of pitches from that guy [Easterling] and got him up close to 50 [pitches] and just like that, the next four guys found the barrel and it's 5-0 before you know what hit him," A&M manager Rob Childress said.
A&M would make the most of their two-out opportunities, collecting nine runs off seven hits down in the count. Outfielder Zach DeLoach would go 2-for-2 with three runs, a double and a walk while infielder Bryce Blaum would drive in three runs, going 2-for-2 off doubles. Junior college transfer Logan Sartori would continue his success at Blue Bell Park with an RBI double in the second inning.
In his first start of the season, Dustin Saenz picked up where his counterparts left off. Commanding the strike zone, the junior left-hander would go five innings, allowing four runs off six hits while striking out six. Following his outing, Saenz credited the defensive success for keeping his stat line in a favorable view.
"Throwing strikes was the main goal. Just throwing them over the plate and giving my team a chance to win," Saenz said. "Obviously my defense helped me a lot."
The Aggies did suffer a loss on Tuesday evening at Olsen Field. Despite a 3-for-5 night at the plate, outfielder Rody Baker would perhaps like to put the final at-bat behind him for the future.
In the eighth inning, the New Mexico Junior College transfer to be struck in the nose on a wild pitch from Lumberjacks' Easton Turnage. After several minutes writhing in the dirt, Baker would be escorted off by the team's medical staff, gripping his nose with a towel covered in blood.
"He played his tail off tonight," Childress said. "He's a gamer and a grinder and just plays incredibly hard. My prayer is that we get him back as quickly as we can get him back."
A&M would plate two more in the fourth inning off an SFA error before closing out the night with a pair of runs in the eighth. Relievers Will Johnston, Jake Nelson and Mason Orneals would combine for the final 12 outs, allowing zero off and three combined hits.
As for the 'Skip, Childress' attention will remain intact for another week. Chopping down the Lumberjacks could be a sign of the team's long-term goals set for a date down in June.
"I'm glad we brought in Stephen F. Austin in. I'm glad we got the game in," Childress said of the impending rainy weather. "Our guys were prepared and were certainly ready to go."
The Aggies will take the mound Wednesday against Prairie View A&M for a 6:30 p.m. first pitch. Redshirt freshman Jonathan Childress (no relation to the manager) will make his season debut following a season-ending injury in 2019.