COLLEGE STATION, Texas – With a season-high 6,112 fans in attendance, junior outfielder Krey Bratsen recorded his second walk-off RBI of the week to give the Texas A&M Aggies a 2-1 win over the Georgia Bulldogs in an extra-inning affair on Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park on Saturday afternoon.
With the scored knotted at 1-1 in the bottom of the 10th inning, Jace Statum served as catalyst for the game-winning rally, drawing a six-pitch walk to start the frame and moving to second on a sacrifice bunt by Mikey Reynolds. Bratsen provided the endgame by punching a 1-2 offering into shallow right centerfield to drive in Statum.
Earlier in the week, Bratsen was issued bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the ninth for a 6-5 walk-off win against the Houston Baptist Huskies. Saturday’s Olsen Magic win gave A&M six consecutive wins at Blue Bell Park.
Texas A&M (13-7, 2-0 SEC) broke the scoring seal in the bottom of the third inning. Statum was issued a four-pitch walk to start the frame and stole second base with one out. After Krey Bratsen popped out to the shortstop for the second out of the inning, Blake Allemand bounced a single through the left side of the infield, plating Statum for the 1-0 lead.
Georgia (8-11, 0-2 SEC) took advantage of a sun-aided single to notch an equalizer in the top of the fifth inning. Brett DeLoach popped a ball into the air on the left side of the infield. Back-pedaling from his position at shortstop, Reynolds lost the ball in the sun and the wind carried it into shallow left centerfield for a leadoff single. With one out, Jess Posey deposited a double down the rightfield line to drive in DeLoach, tying the game at 1-1. Aggie starter Daniel Mengden was able to strand Posey at second with a pair of strikeouts.
Mengden equaled a career-long with his 8.0 innings. He allowed one run on six hits while striking out eight in the no-decision. Jason Jester (2-0) earned the win, retiring six of the seven batters he faced in 2.0 innings. He allowed one walk and recorded one strikeout.
Jared Walsh (1-2) was strapped with the loss in relief. He allowed one run on one hit and one walk while striking out one over 2.1 innings. Starter Patrick Boling recorded a career-high with 10 strikeouts. He yielded one run on six hits and two walks over 6.2 innings.
Statum went 1-for-1 with three walks and two runs scored. In the last two games, he is 1-for-1 with two sacrifice bunts, five walks, three runs and one RBI.
Reynolds went 2-for-4 with one sacrifice bunt and one stolen base. With his first-inning single, Reynolds extended his streak of consecutive games with a hit to 19, tied for ninth place on the school’s all-time list. Allemand batted 2-for-4 with one RBI.
Curt Powell was the only Bulldog to record multiple hits, going 2-for-4 on the afternoon.
The Aggies will go for their first weekend series sweep of the season on Sunday when they host Georgia in a 12:05 pm contest at Blue Bell Park. The contest will be televised on Fox Sports Southwest.
TEXAS A&M QUOTES
Junior Outfielder Jace Statum
On his mentality at the plate: “I’m trying to go pitch-by-pitch and not worrying about anything else. They through some quality pitches but they weren’t strikes so I was able to take. That’s how I’ve always been my whole life. I’ve always tried to get deep in the count. I’m not aggressive on the first pitch. I like to work pitches and make the pitcher work.”
On being in the starting lineup: “I don’t really care where I’m at in the lineup, just as long as I’m in there and able to help the team win.”
Junior Outfielder Krey Bratsen
On the win: “This is a big-time win for us. It’s huge for our team. I’m just glad I was able to be a part of that and come through when the team needed me.”
On his final at-bat: “I wasn’t purposely going to right. I was just trying to go with where the pitch was. I looked for a hole to try and score Jace (Statum) from second.”
Sophomore Pitcher Daniel Mengden
On what was working for him: “I was trying to get ahead with the fastball. Then I would mix in my offspeed to try and keep them off balance. I changed their eyelevel going up, down, left and right and let the defense work behind me.”
Story courtesy of Texas A&M Athletics