Freshman Troy Stein’s bases-loaded pinch hit single in the bottom of the 10th inning capped a dramatic 2-1 victory over Kansas by the No. 6 Texas A&M baseball team on Friday night in front of 4,765 fans at Olsen Field.
Stein’s blast over the head of Kansas left fielder Jimmy Waters set off a celebratory mob scene of Texas A&M players on the infield and improved the Aggies’ overall record to 17-5 and their Big 12 mark to 3-1. Kansas, meanwhile, fell to 10-11 overall and 2-2 in league play.
Before the heroics that ended the game, the contest took the form of a pitching duel between Texas A&M’s John Stilson and KU’s T.J. Walz with each pitcher holding the opposing offense in check.
Both pitchers traded scoreless innings in the first two frames before the Aggies were finally able to scratch across a run against Walz during the home half of the third.
Freshman second baseman Charlie Curl gave A&M a one-out base runner as he was hit by an errant pitch from Walz. The Amarillo, Texas, native proceeded to steal second to give the Aggies their first man in scoring position of the night. Two batters later, fellow rookie Krey Bratsen put A&M on the board as he hit beat out a chopper to a charging KU shortstop without a throw allowing Curl to come home.
The tally would be the only mark the Aggies could muster against Walz, who finished with just the lone run against his ledger while striking out 10 batters in 7.2 innings of work.
Texas A&M escaped a jam in the top of the fifth as KU loaded the bases against Stilson, but the Aggies were able to turn a double play with a runner’s interference call at second base on the throw to first. Kansas head coach Ritch Price argued the call which took a KU run off the board and was ejected from the contest which remained 1-0 Aggies.
It appeared much of the night that the one run and the dominating pitching of Stilson would be enough to propel the Aggies to a victory. Going into the top of the ninth, Stilson exited the game with the 1-0 lead having tossed eight scoreless innings allowing just seven hits and two walks while fanning seven.
However, the old baseball cliché “It’s a game of inches” proved to be true as senior Joaquin Hinojosa came on to close in the ninth inning. After the first two batters of the inning were retired, KU designated hitter Chris Manship hit a one-hopper back to the mound that glanced of the tip of a leaping Hinojosa’s glove and redirected away from the pitcher and shortstop Kenny Jackson.
Following the infield single, the Jayhawks, who outhit A&M 11-6 on the night, sent Alex DeLeon to the plate as a pinch hitter. The Woodland Hills, Calif., native turned on a pitch from Hinojosa, doubling to left and scoring a KU pinch runner to tie the game at 1-1 and ensure a no-decision for Stilson.
Following a scoreless bottom of the ninth, Texas A&M senior reliever Nick Fleece (4-1) kept the Jayhawks off the board in the top of the 10th and set the scene for the dramatics in the home half of the inning
Curl led the frame off with a single up the middle and was moved into scoring position by a sacrifice bunt by Jace Statum. Following a walk issued to Bratsen, sophomore outfielder Tyler Naquin was plunked by KU reliever Frank Duncan (1-2) to bring Stein to the plate as a pinch hitter with the bases juiced and only one man down in the inning.
The Medina Valley, Texas, product connected on a 1-2 off-speed offering from Duncan to drive the pitch deep into left field. The knock would have normally been extra bases for Stein but the A&M rookie only needed one base to send the Aggie faithful home happy.
Texas A&M and Kansas resume the series Saturday with game two of the three-game set at Olsen Field. The Aggies will send Michael Wacha (3-1, 0.75 ERA) to the mound to face KU sophomore Tanner Poppe (1-2, 2.22). First pitch is set for 2:05 p.m.