Texas A&M baseball once again climbed out of an early deficit to fend off top-seeded Stanford in an 8-5 win Saturday night. The Aggies have started 2-0 in an NCAA Regional for the first time in program history, and with one more victory can advance onto the Super Regional, where an enticing rivalry matchup could await them.
After Stanford jumped out to an early 4-1 lead by the fourth inning, the Maroon and White leaned on their bullpen and the heroics of Hunter Haas to storm back for the lead. Haas logged two hits against Stanford’s Drew Dowd, generating five RBIs that helped seal the victory for the Aggies.
Trailing 4-2 in the sixth inning, the Aggies evened the score off a two-RBI double from Haas that scored Minnich and Kaufer. With the game still tied in the eighth, Haas connected for a bases-clearing double that scored Austin Bost, left fielder Ryan Targac and Minnich to give A&M a 7-4 lead they would never relinquish.
The Maroon and White also overcame a rough start from the mound, as starter Justin Lamkin lasted only 1.2 innings, allowing three runs on two hits and four walks. The strike zone was tight in this game, but Lamkin’s tough outing was a factor in the Aggies’ hole early on.
Nonetheless, A&M turned to their three relievers in Aschenbeck (one unearned run on five hits and one walk in 2.2 innings), Brandyn Garcia (2.2 IP with just one walk), and Matt Dillard (one run on two hits, with one walk and a hit by a pitch in 1.1 IP) to keep the Cardinal in check, with the exception being one run in the ninth.
Here are the best social media reactions following Saturday’s victory over Stanford: