KNOXVILLE, Tennessee – The No. 14 Texas A&M Aggies came up short in their bid to claim a third straight weekend series, dropping the rubber match Sunday against Tennessee, 6-4, at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
Texas A&M pounded out 10 hits on the day, including four extra-base hits, but the Aggies only got the leadoff man aboard in one inning. Michael Helman, Braden Shewmake and Will Frizzell each logged two hits and Chris Andritsos added a two-run home run.
Seven walks doomed the Aggie pitching staff. Starter Stephen Kolek labored through 3.0 innings, allowing three runs on four hits and three walks while striking out two. Cason Sherrod (4-2) was saddled with the loss, yielding the decisive run in the sixth inning.
Texas A&M dropped to 29-11 overall and 9-9 in the SEC, one game off the top of the SEC West standings. Tennessee improved to 24-18 overall and 7-11 in league play.
NEXT UP
The Aggies host the Abilene Christian Wildcats in a 6:32 p.m. contest on Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park.
SCORING SUMMARY
T1 | With two outs, Braden Shewmake sparked the offense with a perfectly placed bunt single. Hunter Coleman rattled a double in the corner down the rightfield line to plate Shewmake. Will Frizzell beat the shift by hitting a sharp line drive where the second baseman would’ve been, pushing Shewmake across. A&M 2, UT 0.
B3 | Tennessee wrangled the lead away in the bottom of the third. Brodie Leftridge started the frame by hitting a full-count offering over the leftfield wall for a home run. With one out, Jay Charleston poked a single to centerfield and Justin Ammons drew a four-pitch walk. A fielder’s choice grounder by Pete Derkey put runners on the corners and Derkay stole second to put two runners in scoring position. Charleston came home on a wild pitch and Andre Lipcius knocked in Derkay with a single to rightfield. UT 3, A&M 2.
B4 | With one out, Asa Lacy issued a five-pitch walk to Leftridge. Leftridge moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Wyatt Stapp and scored on a double to leftfield by Charleston. UT 4, A&M 4.
T6 | With two outs, Will Frizzell doubled to the wall in leftfield and Chris Andritsos followed by cranking a full-count offering deep over the leftfield wall for his fourth home run of the season. A&M 4, UT 4.
B6 | The Vols reclaimed the lead in the home half. Leftridge drew a six-pitch walk, Tennessee’s third leadoff walk of the game. He was replaced at first base when Stapp’s sacrifice bunt attempt went resulted in a putout at second base. Charleston put down a bunt that resulted in a single after an odd hop sent it to the left of a hard charging Sherrod. Brandon Chinea was inserted as a pinch-runner for Stapp at second and his speed came in handy as he scored when Justin Ammons punched a single to centerfield. UT 5, A&M 4.
B7 | Tennessee tacked on an insurance run with two-out solo home run by Benito Santiago. UT 6, A&M 4.
Story courtesy of Texas A&M Athletics