After an afternoon chock-full of the highlights and low points, the Aggies and Broncos left Blue Bell Park with one win a piece.
On Saturday, March 12, Texas A&M baseball hosted a doubleheader against the Santa Clara Broncos at Olsen Field in College Station. Both teams entered the weekend with an 8-4 record on the season, with the Aggies fresh off a 4-1 home win against Tarleton.
The Aggies looked rested and ready to go at noon’s first pitch, scoring three runs in each of the two innings of the opening contest. A&M junior right-handed pitcher Michah Dallas was calm and collected at the mound, retiring two batters and not allowing a hit in the opening two innings.
Following a pair of scoreless innings, the Broncos finally found their footing in the fifth, scoring off back-to-back singles to make the tally 6-2.
The Aggies countered in the sixth inning with a pair of runs from junior outfielder Jordan Thompson and sophomore outfielder Jack Moss. A single into left field by sophomore outfielder Logan Britt brought home two additional runners to put a stamp on the 10-2 maroon and white victory.
Dallas earned the victory at the mound, registering 6.0 innings, striking out seven batters and allowing two runs. He moved to 3-0 on the season.
A&M had a less favorable start to the second game, being held scoreless in the first three innings. The Broncos capitalized on the sluggish maroon bats, as runs from senior infielder John Hanley and graduate infielder Alex Lambeau gave Santa Clara an early 2-0 lead.
In the fourth inning, the Broncos exploded with a flurry of singles and doubles which quickly translated to runs. They compiled six total to take an 8-0 lead. The Aggies responded in the bottom of the inning when Moss and graduate catcher Troy Claunch came home to make the score 8-2.
After containing the Broncos in the fifth inning, the Aggies chipped away further. A solo moonshot from graduate outfielder Dylan Rock brought the score to 8-3. The squads exchanged two runs each in the seventh inning to make the score 10-5 with two stanzas remaining.
In those final two innings, the Aggies collapsed further. The defense surrendered three singles, two doubles and a triple to allow five total runs in the eighth inning. A&M was held scoreless on the offensive end. In the ninth inning, an additional Bronco came home off a groundout to put a stamp on the 16-5 boat race.
A&M threw the kitchen sink at Santa Clara in the bullpen, using six different pitchers in the loss. Sophomore pitcher Nathan Dettmer was handed the loss, totaling four runs and two strikeouts off three hits in 3.0 innings.
The Aggies have a chance to have the last laugh, as the series with Santa Clara concludes on Sunday, March 13.