COLLEGE STATION, TX — No. 12 Texas A&M used five pitchers to stymie No. 19 Auburn and Logan Foster hit a three-run home run as the Aggies beat the Tigers in Sunday afternoon’s rubber match, 4-1, on Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park.
The Tiger struck first with one run on three hits in the top of the third, but they did not hold the lead for long. In the bottom half of the fourth, Texas A&M strung together four consecutive hits with no outs to score four runs.
Offensively, the Aggies were paced by Foster and Zach DeLoach. Foster was 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBI, and DeLoach batted 2-for-3.
On the mound, Christian Roa got the start, throwing 2.1 innings, allowing one run on two hits while fanning one. Chris Weber, Bryce Miller, Joseph Menefee and Kasey Kalich closed out the game, allowing just four hits while fanning 10 combined over 6.2 scoreless innings. Chris Weber (2-0) earned the win, scattering two hits while striking out one in 2.1 innings. Kasey Kalich struck out the side in the ninth to pick up his ninth save of the season. Aggie pitchers struck out seven of the last eight batters they faced as the Maroon & White recorded 10 Ks on the day.
The Aggies improved to 27-10-1 on the season and 9-5-1 in SEC play, while the Tiger dropped to 24-12 on the season and 8-7 in league action.
UP NEXT
The Aggies travel to Houston to take on the Cougars Tuesday with first pitch at 6:30 p.m.
SCORING SUMMARY
T3 | Ryan Bliss led off the third with a single to centerfield, advanced to second on groundout by Steven Williams and moved to third on a passed ball. With one out, Will Holland broke the ice, plating Bliss with a single through the left side of the infield. AUB 1, A&M 0.
B4 | Four consecutive hits and four runs helped the Aggies take the lead in the fourth. Cam Blake got the hitting train started, singling through the right side of the infield. Braden Shewmake put runners on the corners with a single through the left side, before Mikey Hoehner singled through the left side, scoring Blake with the tying run. The Tigers made a call to their bullpen, and Logan Foster took advantage of the first pitch he saw, depositing it over the right field wall, for a three-run home run. A&M 4, AUB 1.
TEXAS A&M QUOTES
Head Coach Rob Childress
On winning the series...
“Well it was a hard fought win and a hard fought series. Auburn has got a very good club, and we were able to swing together four hits and our pitching made it stand up. Christian [Roa] got us off to a wonderful start and each guy we went to did an amazing job. I’m just very proud of the toughness our guys showed today.”
On starting Christian Roa...
“We wanted to use him again today. It felt like if we don’t start him, then it’s going to be a leverage spot, maybe in the middle of an inning. I wanted to make sure he had enough time to warm up, so we used him as an opener today. That was the way we scripted it, he got us one time through the order. Chris Weber came in, and each guy we went to got us off the field in some big spots.
On the change in the hitting production today...
“Well they got their swing off on some fastballs right over the plate. They were very competitive in three of those at bats in front of Logan [Foster] with two strikes, moving the baseball, and finding some holes. We’re not hitting on all cylinders right now. However to say that as a team we aren’t hitting on all cylinders and still find a way to win an SEC series is an awfully bold thing to say. It’s hard to win SEC games, much less a series.”
Junior OF Logan Foster
On his three-run home run...
“He threw me a fastball, and I was hunting fastball. In those situations we practice that all the time with a runner on third and less than two outs. You just got to put your best swing on the ball and not let him get a first strike. Today as an offense we were fully committed to our approach.”
On outscoring opponents 49-7 in the fourth inning this season...
“We would like it to be the first inning, and it just so happens to land in the fourth inning. Today we were a little slow from the start, but we kicked it into gear in the fourth.”
Freshman LHP Chris Weber
On the “bullpen day” approach on Sunday...
“Everybody in the bullpen was ready to go. [Christian] Roa did a great job going out there with what he had. He’s not 100 percent yet but he’s really close and he showed it today. Credit to everybody who pitched today.”
On what the coaching staff’s message after Saturday’s loss...
“Just [have] confidence in what we have. We know that we’re a very talented team. We’re not always firing on all cylinders, but today we figured it out and pulled out a win.”
Junior RHP Bryce Miller
On what was working for him...
“Slider felt good. The slider has felt good the last couple of games and I’ve just been sticking with it and throwing to the spots wherever [Coach Childress] calls them.”
On the “bullpen day” approach on Sunday...
“It’s good. We know that Sunday we’re going to need to get into the bullpen a little bit. But it’s a lot of fun whenever we can get everybody in there and everybody has success.”
