Claunch Delivers Olsen Magic after Midnight

WTAW 1620 Aggie Baseball

Story by Emily Wedemeyer, Texas A&M Athletics Communications

BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The Texas A&M baseball team (18-11, 5-5 SEC) walked it off in the 11th inning to grab the series-opening win over Kentucky (18-12, 3-7 SEC) in the early hours of Friday morning on Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park. A&M catcher Troy Claunch launched his first home run of the season, clubbing a 2-2 offering over the right-center field fence for the end game and 3-2 victory for the Maroon & White.

The Wildcats struck first, plating a run through the combination of a series of hits and stolen bases in the top of the fourth. The Aggies responded immediately by scratching a run across in the bottom of the frame and added another through a pair of walks and a base knock to tie the game at two apiece in the sixth.

Claunch led the way at the plate, hitting 3-for-4 with a run, 3 RBI and walk-off home run to conclude the extra-inning game.

Nathan Dettmer started on the mound for the Maroon & White, tallying five strikeouts in six innings of work. Joseph Menefee entered the game in the seventh, striking out four of the seven batters faced. Chris Cortez came in to grab the final out of the eighth before Brad Rudis was called upon in the top of the ninth. Jacob Palish earned his third win of the season, recording five strikeouts in 2.1 innings pitched.

TOP AGGIE PERFORMERS
Nathan Dettmer: 6.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
Jacob Palisch: 2.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K
Troy Claunch: 3-for-4, R, 3 RBI, BB, HR

GAME SUMMARY
T4| Ryan Ritter singled to shortstop, stole second and scored on a single to right field by Adam Fogel. Fogel stole second then came home on a single to the left side by Alonzo Rubalcaba. KU 2, A&M 0

B4| Rock doubled to right field followed by a single to right center by Troy Claunch, shrinking the Wildcats’ lead to one run and forcing KU to bring Ryan Hagenow to the mound. KU 2, A&M 1

B6| Rock and Jack Moss drew a walk, prompting KU to turn to their bullpen once again, this time calling on Sean Harney. A single to left field by Claunch sent Rock home, evening the score to two apiece with no outs. A&M 2, KU 2

B11| Claunch launched his first home run of the season for the walk-off win in extra innings. A&M 3, KU 2

UP NEXT
The Aggies are back in action at Olsen Field tomorrow for game two of the three-game series against Kentucky with first pitch slated for 6:30 p.m.

Head Coach Jim Schlossnagle
On tonight’s game…
“I thought this was a great ball game. I thought their guy [Sean] Harney was outstanding, just really good. I thought our guys made pitches, and super excited about the direction [Joseph] Menefee is going. That is two back-to-back starts in a row where [Nathan] Dettmer pitched us in the sixth or seventh inning. We needed that win. We have lost some close ones, this time last week we won three-to-two. I just thought it was a great college baseball game.”

Graduate catcher Troy Claunch
On his first ever walk-off home run…
“I have never done it. This is the first walk-off home run in my life. Feels good especially because these guys in this dugout have been giving me a hard time about not having a home run so for that to be my first home run of the season felt really good.”

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