The Aggies have dropped seven straight games and face off against the equally cold Baylor Bears this weekend at Olsen Field. The Bears have lost three of their past four contests, and will have to face off against the No. 2 ranked Aggie pitching staff if they want to continue to increase their win column.
“Baylor went out and swept Oklahoma State just after Oklahoma State swept us and then got swept by Texas … We got to just keep fighting here at Olsen Field on Friday night, then go down the road to Waco and do the same thing,” said Texas A&M head coach Rob Childress.
Despite the Aggies’ 19-21 (3-12) record, they are still in the hunt in the Big 12. Only three of 10 teams in the Big 12 have winning records. Baylor will join that winning group this weekend in the event it takes all three games of the series.
“(We) can still make hay in this league. With only three teams above .500, the team with the shortest memory is going to come out on top … We just need to keep doing what we’re doing and that’s competing,” Childress said.
Baylor’s ride this season has been nearly as up and down as the Aggies’ because they bring a more balanced attack to the diamond. Its pitching ranks No. 6 in the Big 12, while its batting checks in at No. 7 in the league. Despite being in the bottom half of both statistics, it is only one game below .500 and posts a (23-15) record overall.
“You got to run the race with perseverance. You go out there a couple times and do it, then it comes easy. This team hasn’t given up yet, that’s what I’m looking for,” said Baylor head coach Steve Smith.
Probable starters for this weekend’s game include Austin Creps, Kyle Nicholson and Jason Meyer for the Aggies, and Ryan LaMotta, Tim Mathews and Cory VanAllen for the Bears. The premier pitching match up of the series will put Baylor ace Ryan LaMotta and his No. 10 3.05 ERA up against Aggie ace Austin Creps and his league-leading 1.83 ERA. Both pitchers have made 10 starts this year and lead their teams in innings pitched and starters’ ERA.
“Creps is as competitive a guy as I’ve ever had on the mound. That’s the guy that I want on the mound with the ball in his hand – he’s going to give it everything he’s got, he’s a warrior. I’d take 15 guys just like(him),” Childress said.