Aggies Scythe Through Rice, 6-2

(Source: Jerome Hicks/Texas A&M Athletics)
(Source: Jerome Hicks/Texas A&M Athletics)

HOUSTON, Texas – Five doubles powered the No. 22 Texas A&M Aggies past the Rice Owls, 6-2, Tuesday evening at Reckling Park.

The Owls struck first with one run in the home half the fourth. The Aggies answered back and took a 2-1 lead in the fifth. Rice tied the game in the bottom of the fifth, before Texas A&M reclaimed the advantage with a one-run seventh and widened the gap with a three-run eighth.

Aggie starter Jonathan Childress worked five frames, yielding two runs on four hits, while fanning six. The Maroon & White threw seven pitchers in relief to stymie the Owls’ offense. The relievers combined to throw 4.0 scoreless inning, scattering two hits and one walk, while fanning eight. Dustin Saenz (2-0) earned the win, tossing 1.1 inning, allowing just one hit, while striking out three. Bryce Miller mowed Rice down in the ninth with three consecutive strikeouts.

The pitching staff tallied 14 strikeouts on the day, marking their fourth straight double-digit strikeout performance and 13th of the season. The staff held Rice’s bats to 1-for-10 with runners on, 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position and 3-for-13 with two outs.

Offensively, the Maroon & White pounded 10 hits, five of which were doubles. The 10 hit performance marks the Aggies 10th double-digit hitting performance of the season. The offense was led by Cam BlakeAustin Bost and Logan Sartori. Blake was 2-for-2 with one run, two doubles, one walk and one RBI, while Bost and Sartori each went 2-for-4 with one run and one double. Ray Alejo and Zane Schmidt each added a hit and two RBI.

The Aggies improved to 15-3, while the Owls dropped to 2-14.

TOP PLAYERS
Cam Blake – 2-for-2, 1 runs, 2 2B, 1 BB, 1 RBI
Austin Bost – 2-for-4, 1 runs, 1 2B
Logan Sartori – 2-for-4, 1 runs, 1 2B
Dustin Saenz – 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 3 K

SCORING SUMMARY
B4 | The Owls drew first blood with a Justin Collins solo bomb to leftfield. Rice 1, A&M 0.

T5 | Austin Bost got things started with a leadoff double down the leftfield line. Bost came in to score on a laced double to rightfield by Cam Blake. Blake stole third and came in to score on a Ray Alejo RBI groundout to second base. A&M 2, Rice 1.

B5 | Rodrigo Duluc leadoff with a home run to leftfield. A&M 2, Rice 2.

T7 | With one out, Blake ground ruled doubled to leftfield, Logan Britt entered the lineup to pinch-run for Blake. Alejo lined a single up the middle, platting Britt. A&M 3, Rice 2.

T8 | Logan Sartori singled to leftfield and advanced to second on a fielding error by Rice’s leftfielder with one out. Will Frizzell single through the right side of the infield, plating Sartori. Mason Corbett entered to pinch run for Frizzell and Bost laced a single to leftfield. Hunter Coleman entered to pinch run for Bost. With two outs, Alejo loaded the bags with Ags, with a five-pitch walk. Zane Schmidt took advanced of the bases loaded, plating two on a roped single to leftfield. A&M 6, Rice 2.

UP NEXT
The Aggies travel to Auburn to take on the Tigers for the first conference series of the season, starting Friday with first pitch at 6:02 p.m.

Story courtesy of Texas A&M Athletics

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