Credit to Ben Rikard | Associate Director, Athletics Communications
BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Texas A&M returns to Aggieland to step out of SEC play with a midweek game against Sam Houston on Tuesday after taking two of three games at nationally-ranked Kentucky over the weekend in Lexington.
First pitch against the Bearkats is set for 6 p.m. from Blue Bell Park.
The Aggies are averaging eight runs a game since the calendar turned to April and will be facing an offensive-minded Bearkat team who currently has a two-game lead in the WAC standings and has scored in double digits 16 times in 2023.
GAME COVERAGE
TV/STREAMING: Tuesday’s game will be aired on SEC Network+… the radio call from Andrew Monaco and Rody Barker will be included.
RADIO: The game can be heard locally on SportsRadio 1150 AM/93.7 The Zone… Andrew Monaco will be on the call along with Rody Barker… the pregame show begins 15 minutes prior to first pitch.
SOCIAL: Fans can get in-game updates on social media by following @AggieBaseball on Twitter.
PROMOTIONS AT THE BALLPARK
Tuesday Night Fireworks: Fans are invited to stay after the game for a fireworks display at Blue Bell Park
National Pretzel Day: FREE Ben’s Soft Pretzels for first 200 fans
Tiff’s Treats Tuesday: FREE Tiff’s Treats chocolate chip cookies for the first 250 fans
Camper Reunion game: 1 FREE ticket for baseball campers in advance and on gameday. Additional discounted tickets available ($5 GA/lawn/SRO).
FCA Night: Discounted group tickets for BCS/Huntsville FCA participants & families.
First Responder Appreciation: Discounted group tickets for all retired and currently active first responders.
12th Man Rewards: 100 Points
SERIES NOTES vs THE BEARKATS
– The Aggies are 90-42-2 all-time vs Sam Houston
– The Aggies are 53-16-1 against the Bearkats in games played in Bryan-College Station
– The teams have split the last 10 meetings dating back to 2013 and have split the last six games in Bryan-College Station
FOUR SEC SERIES IN A ROW FOR THE AGGIES
Texas A&M won eight of its 10 league series a year ago, including each of its final seven weekends. But such things are a difficult task in the SEC and the Aggies’ series win at Kentucky was their third straight after dropping its first two. It is the first time since the 2016 and 2017 seasons the Aggies have had consecutive seasons with a streak of at least four consecutive series wins in SEC play. The 9-9 record in the SEC is only one game off the pace of the 2022 squad who was 10-8 at the through six series.
WANSING GIVES AGGIES SOLID START
The Aggies have been in search of quality starts since the beginning of SEC play and finally got one from left-hander Troy Wansing in Game 2 of the series at Kentucky. The Purdue transfer went 6.0 innings and left with the lead against the No. 13 Wildcats in what was his first weekend start since Week 2 at Tennessee. It was the longest outing by a starting pitcher since Nathan Dettmer logged 6.0 innings against LSU in the league opener on March 17.
SAVING THE BEST FOR THE BLUEGRASS
Texas A&M had to dig deep to pick up the doubleheader sweep on Saturday at Kentucky and closer Will Johnston played a big role in that. The lefty picked up the save in each game of the twinbill, throwing just 25 total pitches for the day. He struck out three of the four hitters he faced on just 14 pitches in a 1.1-inning save in Game 1 and followed that by working around a leadoff single in the ninth of Game 2 and punching out two of the final three hitters to end an 8-7 Aggie win. They were Johnston’s third and fourth saves of the season and marked the first time the Aggies have converted saves on each end of a doubleheader since Andrew Vinson and Mark Ecker had saves in a twinbill sweep of the Wildcats in 2015.
P.S., THIS IS AUSTIN
If you didn’t know better, it would be easy to look past Austin Bost in the Aggie lineup if you base it on 2023 numbers only. But SEC teams know better and the senior was on his game last weekend at Kentucky, reaching base in seven of his 14 plate appearances. That included a key 3-for-5 outing in Game 2 highlighted by a go-ahead, two-run double with two outs in the top of the ninth. It was his first multi-hit game since April 1 vs Ole Miss and marked the third time this season the Aggies have erased a ninth-inning deficit to walk away as victors.
MIDWEEK METTLE
College baseball sees most of its focus on weekend series, but success in midweek battles can pay big dividends in the later months of the season. The Aggies dropped their first midweek of 2023 to Lamar but responded a week later with a 23-0 shelling of HCU and have won seven of nine midweek games since. Typically, the Aggies have taken advantage of their midweek opportunities. Texas A&M was 9-1 in midweek games in 2022 and are now 16-4 in those games under Jim Schlossnagle after last week’s win over Prairie View. Since the start of the COVID-shortened 2020 season Texas A&M is 33-7 in midweek games.