Texas A&M Baseball Passes First Major Test With Road Win Over Longhorns
Consider the first real test out of the way to the Texas A&M Aggies baseball team, and it's best to take it one step at a time.
The No. 7 Aggies bested No. 23 Texas 9-2 Tuesday night to keep their undefeated season intact. A&M is off to its best start since 2015 and could just be warming up with a five-game homestand on the horizon.
Yes, the Aggies (12-0) have high expectations entering conference play next week against Florida. Three SEC programs rank ahead of them in D1Baseball's current standings, but talent-wise, one might just want to chalk up the quartet as 1A, 1B and so on until the head-to-heads start.
But the Aggies answered a pivotal question Tuesday in front of the largest crowd for a regular season game at Disch-Falk Field; winning came in various forms.
It can come by the long ball. Outfielder Braden Montgomery and catcher Hank Bard can attest to that with their two-run blast in the first and seventh innings, respectively.
It can come on the mound well past the starters. Max Weiner, the new pitching coach from the Seattle Mariners, has worked wonders this offseason with a staff that currently boasts a nation-leading 1.41 ERA.
Shane Sdao struck out all six batters he faced to seal the win. Evan Aschenbeck boasts a 1.15 ERA through four games and has 18 punchouts through 15.2 frames.
"Three days' rest off 55 pitches was a lot to ask," said A&M coach Jim Schlossangle of Aschenbeck's performance. "To send him back out there in the bottom of the seventh, we were trying to squeeze one more inning out of him."
It can come with contact, defense, situational hitting and so many other facets. A&M answered every question as the runs continued to stockpile in Austin.
It was the first major moment of the young season for the Aggies after winning 11 straight against lesser-tier opponents. They passed with flying colors and left little concerns heading back to College Station.
The season remains young. A&M has yet to start conference play and yet the sense around fans is that a special season is in the works. Games against Florida, Vanderbilt, LSU and Arkansas over the 10-week period beginning later this month should show where the Aggies stack up among SEC contenders.
But A&M isn't slowing down. Six players are batting over. 345, with three slashing over .400. Fresh faces like Gavin Grahovac and Blake Binderup feel natural as starters at the corners and remain stable at the plate.
The Aggies have outscored their opponents by a combined 125-20 in a dozen games. Three games have ended up via the run rule by the seventh, while three more matchups saw A&M score at least 10.
A win against a rival is sweet. A signature victory on the road against another potential College World Series contender eases tension.
The Aggies return to Blue Bell Park for a Wednesday matchup against Texas Southern before welcoming in Rhode Island for three games. Combined, the Tigers and Rams are 6-16 and haven't scored more than 12 runs in an outing.
Maybe this will be a trap moment for the Aggies. Perhaps A&M cruises once more. Either way, critics saw behind Chris Cortez, Hayden Schott and bruised Jace LaViolette that A&M can hang with the big boys.
Even behind enemy lines.