Texas A&M Baseball: Houston College Classic Recap

And by a while, I mean like almost the entire tournament. The Ags began the weekend on a high note. Like a really high note. Then they kept it going for the majority of game two before slightly, kind of, maybe completely falling apart. Then they did a similar thing in game three.

Now, keep in mind that the bulk of this team is pretty young. Outside of Nick Choruby and Brigham Hill, most of the main cogs in maroon and white are either freshmen or in only their second year in Aggieland. Out of these guys, you’ve got Joel Davis, who’s been swinging it very well in the last week and a half, and Braden Shewmake, Logan Foster and Hunter Coleman, who are all playing like they didn’t know they were freshmen. But this weekend, after Friday at least, the inexperience started to show its face.

Friday: Texas A&M 9, Texas Tech 0

Quick Hitters:

• Brigham Hill was masterful, as per usual. In 7.0 innings of work, he allowed just three hits and two walks, while striking out eight Tech hitters. Brigham is the best pitcher on this staff right now, and I don’t think that’s a secret.
• Logan Foster had himself a day. He went 4-5 with two RBIs, two doubles, and an opposite field solo homer.
• Joel Davis stayed hot with the bat, going 3-5 with two doubles and an RBI.

Saturday: TCU 11, Texas A&M 10

• The offense started off sizzling hot, scoring 5 runs in the first and knocking TCU’s starter out of the game after only two-thirds of an inning. They kept the pressure on the Frogs the majority of the game, and held a 10-5 advantage in the bottom of the ninth. By now, you know how that all ended.
• Kaylor Chafin was outstanding in relief, going 6.1 innings with 7 strikeouts.

Sunday: Baylor 6, Texas A&M 3

• Again, Kilkenny was fantastic in this one. He held the Bears scoreless until the sixth, allowing just one walk and four hits, while striking out seven over his 7.0 innings of work.
• Shewmake went 2-4 with two doubles and an RBI, and Foster collected two hits as well (a double and a triple). These guys are really, really good at baseball.
• This game ended in the bottom of the ninth, with two outs. The Ags were clinging to a 3-2 lead, and with the bases loaded, Baylor’s nine-hole hitter crushed a walk-off grand slam to end it.

The Ags trailed only twice throughout the entire tournament. Both times came on the last pitch of the game. The endings of the final two games of the weekend were excruciating to watch, and that makes for some very unhappy Aggies. But it’s important to remember that it is still very early in the season, and this young team is learning every time they take the field. If there is any positive thing to take from this weekend, it’s that this team is talented enough to make some noise. However, if they can’t figure out how to close out games, things can start to go south very quickly.

What’s Next?

The Ags welcome UT - Rio Grande Valley to Olsen for a quick two-game set on Tuesday and Wednesday at 6:30 pm and 3:00 pm, respectively. The Vaqueros are 10-2, and they won’t be a pushover in the midweek. This should be a good opportunity for the Aggies to get themselves right after this past weekend.