Ryan Prager Fans 13 Hitters In Texas A&M's Win Over Rhode Island
Dominance.
That’s the only way to describe Texas A&M’s Ryan Prager’s start to the season.
Prager, who missed all last season due to Tommy John surgery, fanned a career-high 13 batters as the No. 7 Aggies bested the Rhode Island 11-0. He didn't walk a batter while the Rams managed to end his perfect game with a single by Reece Moroney in the third.
It was the only hit they'd record through seven frames.
For those across the SEC, Prager’s perfection has been one of the top storylines in Aggieland. For the southpaw, it’s just a casual Friday night.
"We had a great plan going into the game, and it's just awesome for me to play with these guys," Prager said postgame. "Overall, it was just an awesome night, and I look forward to keeping it going."
Prager's rise to prominence has been evident under the new direction of pitching coach Max Weiner. Friday marked a career-high in strikeouts, but also tying a career-low in hits.
Prager’s previous career-low came against Wagner earlier this season, where he retired 10 Seahawks. In three outings the redshirt sophomore has allowed just one hit.
Of Prager's 92 pitches, 74 were strikes. He retired the final 12 batters in order, six coming via the punchout.
Weiner’s work inside the film room has kept pitch counts low, but it’s also led to more favorable counts. Prager (4-0) worked his way out of five 2-0 counts, four of which led to strikeouts. He never found himself down 3-0, either.
“When you live in really good counts that leads you to success. [I] lived in a lot of two-strike counts [and] didn’t get behind a lot of guys,” said Prager. “I think we only had one opportunity where we were really behind and it was 2-0 there in I think that last inning but it just goes back to dominating the zone, winning 0-0s, winning 1-1s, living in good counts, giving ourselves the chance to throw your weapons for punchouts.”
Braden Montgomery extended his hitting streak with an RBI double in the first inning. The Aggies (14-0) plated four more runs in the second thanks to RBI plate appearances from Gavin Grahovac, Hayden Schott and Ted Burton.
A&M thrived in situational moments Friday night, hitting .467 (7-for-15) with two outs. Of the Aggies’ 11 runs, eight came with two outs.
Grahovac ended Connor Grotyohann‘s night with a two-run blast in the third to left-center to make it 7-0. The freshman finished 2 of 3 at the plate with a team-leading three RBI.
Burton, the only other Aggie with a multi-hit night, finished 2 of 3 with an RBI single. Sophomore Jace LaViolette kept the ‘top swinger’ argument alive with a team-tying seventh home run with a solo shot in the fifth.
"This is the best offense I've ever seen," outfielder Travis Chestnut said. "One through nine, there's not a single hole in the lineup that's not going to do damage, that's not going to win pitches, that's not going to execute their plan.”
Consistency describes the offense, which is averaging 10.2 runs per game. It describes the pitching, which leads the nation with a league-low 1.50 ERA. It describes A&M's undefeated season through 14 games.
Perfection, however, describes Prager, whose 0.00 ERA is tied for the NCAA lead. He’s mastered his fastball against lesser competition.
Now comes the real challenge: a showdown in the swamp against No. 4 Florida next Friday. More of the same and Prager would enter the SEC elite conversation.
Perhaps even No. 1 in the nation chatter.
"The real challenge is facing really high-end SEC hitters. I'm sure he's up for the task,” said A&M coach Jim Scholssnagle. “Strikes play anywhere. He might get hit a little bit, but strikes play."
The Aggies return to Blue Bell Park on Saturday for a 2 p.m. first pitch. Right-hander Tanner Jones will get the call.