Last weekend was Texas A&M’s first big test against some bigger named opponents in the Frisco College Baseball Classic, and to say they failed that test would be accurate. They dropped a 1-0 pitcher’s duel to Illinois on Friday, got shellacked by No. 6 UCLA 10-2 on Saturday, and lost in the ninth inning 8-5 against Oklahoma State on Sunday. In all, they scored seven runs on nine hits and committed five errors across the weekend. NotGreatBob dot gif.

Tuesday night against A&M-Corpus Christi then seemed to continue the Aggies’ misfortune. They took a three-run lead in the bottom of the first inning, before the Islanders ripped off four runs of their own over the next two innings. From there, the Ags buckled down. Hunter Coleman’s two-out single in the seventh tied things up at 4-4, before newbie Zane Schmidt channeled a bit of Olsen Magic in the ninth with a bases-loaded, walk off single to give A&M a bounce-back win they absolutely needed. It definitely wasn’t the exact kind of win Aggies everywhere wanted after the disappointment in Frisco, but it was a win nonetheless.

Now the Ags will have to turn the page pretty quickly, as they welcome the New Mexico State Aggies this weekend. New Mexico State comes into this one 12-1, with their only loss coming at the hands of No. 10 Arizona State last week. And while their 12 wins have come against the likes of Texas Southern, Iona, and Purdue Fort Wayne (which I honestly had no idea existed), the New Mexico Aggies have scored double digits in eight of those wins. They currently rank first in the country in on base percentage, second in batting average, scoring, total runs, and hits, and third in walks.

They also rank 12th in home runs, with a total of 17 big flies. Over 70% of those homers have come off the bat of one man: SS Nick Gonzales. The junior, who’s slashing .500/.652/1.354, leads the team in basically every offensive category, most of which by a wide, wide margin. In 13 games, Gonzales has 12 homers, 36 RBI, 65 total bases, and has scored 26 runs. RF Noah Haupt and C Jason Bush are both tied for second on the team in home runs with two apiece. Yeah, Gonzales has three times as many as the two of them combined. Wild.

Probable Starters

• Friday: Asa Lacy (2-0, 1.06 ERA) vs. Chance Hroch (2-0, 3.79 ERA)
• Saturday: Christian Roa (2-1, 4.60 ERA) vs. Chris Barraza (2-0, 1.80 ERA)
• Sunday: TBA vs. Chris Jefferson (2-0, 1.00 ERA)

How to Watch

• Times: Friday, 6:32 pm | Saturday, 6:32 pm | Sunday, 1:02 pm
• Live Video: All three games can be streamed on SEC Network +, with Will Johnson, Mark Johnson, and special guest/GOAT Boomer (!) White (!) in the booth
• Radio: Dave South has the call on SportsRadio 1150 AM/The Zone 93.7 FM
• Live Stats: tamu.statbroadcast.com (desktop); tamustats.com (mobile)