Texas A&M Baseball Falls Short in Attempt to Sweep South Carolina

WTAW 1620 Aggie Baseball

BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The No. 21 Texas A&M Aggies made a late charge, but their attempt to complete the three-game sweep against the South Carolina Gamecocks came up short in a 9-4 loss Sunday afternoon on Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park.

Texas A&M (30-16, 14-10 SEC) could not complete a monumental comeback the day after erasing a nine-run deficit in grand fashion with a 13-12 walk-off win. South Carolina (24-22, 10-14 SEC) scored five runs in the fourth and two in the fifth, staking claim to a 7-0 advantage.

The Maroon & White chipped away in the home half of the fifth inning with an RBI double by Kole Kaler.

Kaler cut the lead to 7-4 with a three-run home run in the seventh inning. Later in the inning, the Aggies loaded the bases, bringing the go-ahead run to the plate with two outs, but Troy Claunch few out deep to right field to end the rally and South Carolina tacked on two insurance runs in the next half inning.

Aggie starter Ryan Prager (1-2) was saddled with the loss. He worked 3.0 innings, yielding a run on a home run to the only batter he faced in the fourth, on three hits and two walks while striking out two. Robert Hogan was solid in his relief outing, scattering one hit and one walk while striking out one in 2.2 innings.

Kaler accounted for all four A&M RBI, going 2-for-4 with a double and home run. Jordan Thompson batted 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs. Jack Moss was 3-for-5.

TOP AGGIE PERFORMERS
Kole Kaler – 2-for-4, 1 2B, 1 HR, 4 RBI
Jordan Thompson – 2-for-3, 1 BB, 2 R
Jack Moss – 3-for-5

GAME SUMMARY
T4| Josiah Sightler hit a leadoff home run to right field. Andrew Eyster reached on a fielding error by Aggie third baseman Trevor Werner, Braylen Wimmer drew a nine-pitch walk and Talmadge LeCroy singled through the right side to load the bases. With one out, Colin Burgess poked a first-pitch offering over the leftfield fence for a grand slam. USC 5, A&M 0

T5| With two outs in the fifth, Eyster and Wimmer lofted back-to-back pitches over the leftfield wall for solo home runs. USC 7, A&M 0

B5| Jordan Thompson legged on a single to short, moved to second on a balk and scored when Kole Kaler laced a double down the rightfield line. USC 7, A&M 1

B7| The frame started with Ryan Targac reaching on a fielding error by the second baseman. Thompson drew a five-pitch walk and Kaler sent a full-count pitch into Section 12 in rightfield for a three-run dinger. USC 7, A&M 4

T8| With two outs, Brandt Belk greeted fresh Aggie reliever Will Johnston with a single through the left side and Kevin Madden hit a two-run home run to leftfield. USC 9, A&M 4

UP NEXT
The Aggies return to the corner of Bush & Olsen for Friday’s series opener against the Mississippi State Bulldogs. First pitch is slated for 6:32 pm.

TEXAS A&M QUOTES
Head Coach Jim Schlossnagle

On the team’s competitiveness when trailing…
“We had the go-ahead run at home plate with Troy Claunch up, down 7-4 with the bases loaded and wind blowing out. When you get down 7-0, just like how we were down 9-0 yesterday, all you could ask for is to give your team a chance to be one swing away from taking the lead or getting back in the ballgame. We were in that position today and didn’t get that hit, and we didn’t back it up on the mound.”

Junior centerfielder Jordan Thompson
On surrendering runs late in innings…
“We would love to not give up runs with two outs on the board. It feels like a dagger. We try to come back from it, and we usually do, but today we just didn’t have it. That’s alright. We will move on from this and get ready to work with a fresh week next week.”

Graduate shortstop Kole Kaler
On falling short of the sweep against South Carolina…
“It definitely would have been nice to get the sweep today, but we have to focus on the next game and get ready for Mississippi State next weekend. That’s all we can do really. We didn’t play as good of baseball as we would have liked today, but we have to just look ahead to the next series and do all that we can to prepare for that.”