The Texas A&M Aggies (4-3) avoid the sweep with a 5-4 win over the Portland Pilots (5-2). Game three was similar to game two in that the starting pitcher throw well but gave up a multiple-run inning and the batters left runners stranded on base.
The biggest change was that the relief pitching was lights out today. Starter Chris Cortez had a decent outing with six strikeouts, but a rough second inning where he gave up three runs, then a wild pitch gave Portland a free run in the fourth inning. Jim Schlossnagle then went to the bullpen and brought out left-hander Evan Aschenbeck, who went on to pitch 4 scoreless innings and racked up four strikeouts. The three hits that were allowed were sprinkled in across those his time on the mound. Along with Evans pitching, Hunter Hass had a great defensive game with a few plays definitely poised to be ESPN top 10 highlight worthy. While talking about the weekend Jim Schlossnagle gave some praise to a few of his players:
:…Certainly, Tad Tracy had a great at-bat. To me, the story is [Evan] Aschenbeck. The way Hunter Haas played defense as well.”
Going into the bottom of the ninth, the pilots were up still up 4-3. Tab Tracy led off the inning with a single up the middle followed by a Hunter Haas walk. Moss takes a page out of Tracy’s handbook with a single up the middle, notching an RBI with Tracy scoring from second base. Werner who’s been struggling lately struck out then a coaching decision brought Travis Chestnut in to pinch run for Moss.
Finally, what the Maroon & White fans have been waiting for during the weekend finally happened… A little Olsen Magic. Freshman Jace Laviolette sent a pitch down the right field line for a walk-off double scoring Chestnut and Haas, notching the Aggies’ fourth win of the season, and putting an end to their miserable three-game losing streak. Jace gave a few thoughts on the game.
“It’s baseball. Baseball doesn’t always go in the way you want it, and you just kind of have to know that. We’re all in the dugout and the locker room after those first two games, we just had to believe in each other and stick with it, and know that, one through nine, if you don’t get the job done, then somebody else behind you is going to come up and get it done for you. You just got to believe in that, believe in yourself, and believe in all of your brothers. Nothing really changed throughout the course of the days, we just had to stick with it and know that that’s how baseball goes sometimes.”
The Aggies will get a few days rest and will be back at Olsen Field on Tuesday, February 28th, against Houston Christian University (0-6) at 6 p.m. CT.
Texas A&M Baseball’s official Twitter account posted some of the top highlights from today’s win. You can check them out below.