Texas A&M Pitching Stands Tall In Series Sweep Over McNeese State
COLLEGE STATION -- If Texas A&M's new pitching coach Max Weiner was looking to get fans talking, consider his mission accomplished.
After a rocky 2023 season on the mound, the No. 8 Aggies rebounded behind three left-handers to secure a series sweep over McNeese State in the season opener. Offensively, the Aggies totaled 31 runs, including 15 in Game 1 and 10 more in Game 3.
On the mound, A&M allowed one run on 14 hits over 81 outs.
“The thing I liked the best was our pitching. We only gave up one run,” A&M manager Jim Schlossnagle said of the weekend. “I thought the crowd was awesome.”
Last season, the Aggies issued 4.9 walks per nine against 7.3 strikeouts. Combined, eight pitchers issued six free bases in three days, four of which came in a 6-1 win Saturday among temperatures in the mid-40s.
In his first start since undergoing Tommy John surgery, Ryan Prager looked problematic. He didn't seem like an arm that took a season off, but rather one poised to pitch in Hoover, Ala. for a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
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Prager, who last pitched in the College World Series at Charles Schwab Field, delivered five innings of shutout baseball. His one-hit, nine-strikeout performance gave A&M time to build an 11-0 lead before his afternoon ceased.
“There was a lot [of emotions] — anxious, nervous, excited, like all of them run together and they all feel the same,” Prager said. "But more so just grateful. When you’re told that you’re going to miss a year and it be almost 600 days since you’ve pitched, you just have to turn it into being grateful to be out there. You kind of get a second love for it and just treat every moment like it could be your last.”
Justin Lampkin struggled to build off the performance, but he didn't allow a run in 3.2 innings pitch and struck out six batters. Top reliever Evan Aschenbeck worked his way out of a bases-loaded jam in the fourth and struck out four.
Arizona State transfer Brock Peery picked up the win after throwing .2 of an inning in the seventh. Zane Badmaev closed out the final two frames, allowing one hit.
Shane Sdao balanced the line between Prager and Lampkin with five innings of shutout ball. He didn't reach nine strikeouts, but he also allowed just one walk in 70 pitches. Sdao also forced four groundouts and five popouts against five swing-and-misses.
“The thing about Shane is when you get in those moments, he always makes the best pitches,” Schlossnagle said.
The bullpen allowed one run over 17 innings and struck out 16. One player reached second, coming in Saturday's matchup during the sixth inning. Peery pitched twice and seems to be the favorite as the middleman behind starters.
The Aggies will look to build off their success Tuesday at 4 p.m. against Incarnate Word and Blue Bell Park. Right-hander Chris Cortez will make his first start of the new campaign.