COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The Texas A&M Aggies completed a three-game series sweep of Dartmouth Sunday and ran their win streak to 12 games with a 10-4 win over the Big Green on Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park.
The 12-0 start is their best since the 1993 campaign when the Aggies went 14-0 out of the gate.
Texas A&M did a brilliant job setting the table early in the game. In each of the first five innings, the first two hitters of the frame reached base. It paid off with three-run frames in the first, second and fourth innings and one run in the fifth. Double plays in the third and fifth prevented further damage.
As it had done in the previous two games of the series, Dartmouth drew first blood. The Big Green struck with a run in the top of the first inning. Matt Parisi started the frame by beating out a throw by shortstop Blake Allemand for an infield single. Nick Ruppert followed with a perfectly placed bunt down the third baseline for an infield single. Joe Purritano pushed both runners into scoring position with a groundout to first base, but after Nick Lombardi struck out swinging for the second out of the inning, a passed ball allowed Parisi to scoring, staking Dartmouth to a 1-0 lead.
The A&M offense offered an immediate response in triplicate. Blake Allemand and Ryne Birk were issued walks to start the bottom of the first. Mitchell Nau threaded a double down the rightfield line to plate Allemand with the equalizer. A groundout to second by Hunter Melton plated Birk for the go-ahead run and Nick Banks slapped a single to leftfield to plate Nau for the 3-1 advantage.
The Aggies kept churning out runs in the second. Another pair of walks started the second with Jonathan Moroney and Michael Barash getting the free passes. Allemand gapped a double into right centerfield to send Moroney home. Birk and Nau each drove in a run with a groundout to inflate the A&M lead to 6-1.
The Big Green offered resistance in the top of the third. Parisi and Ruppert started the inning with singles to put two runners on for Joe Purritano. The Dartmouth designated hitter doubled down the rightfield line, send two runs in. Purritano advanced to third on the throw home and scored on Nick Lombardi’s groundout to short, cutting the A&M advantage to 6-4.
Texas A&M failed to score a run in the third despite loading the bases with no outs, but they would not falter in the fourth. Singles by Allemand and Birk put runners on the corners and Nau slipped a single through the left side of the infield to plate Allemand. Melton singled to right-center knocking in Birk and Banks pushed the lead to 9-4 with a sacrifice fly.
The Aggies capped off the scoring in the fifth. With two outs, Ryne Birk singled to rightfield to drive in Michael Barash who was hit by a pitch.
Matt Kent (3-0) became the first Aggie pitcher to log three wins on the season. He allowed four runs, three earned, on eight hits and one walk while striking out a season-high eight in 6.0 innings.
Starting pitcher Adam Frank (0-1) was saddled with the loss for Dartmouth. Doomed by the free passes, he allowed six runs on four hits and six walks over 2.0 innings plus three batters in the third inning.
Texas A&M’s offense reached double digits in the hits column for the 10th time in 12 games. The Aggies registered 13 hits with five different players recording multiple hits. Allemand, Birk, Nau, Banks and Logan Taylor notched two hits apiece. A&M also drew six walks, with four of the patient Aggies coming around to score. Nau led the squad with three RBI and Allemand scored a game-high three runs.
Matt Parisi led Dartmouth at the plate, going 2-for-4 with two runs. Nick Ruppert went 2-for-4 with one run.
Texas A&M returns to action on Tuesday as the Aggies host the Dallas Baptist in a 6:35 pm contest at Blue Bell Park.