A tight defensive stalemate went to extras, but a big hit from Hunter Melton and a walk-off walk granted A&M a 13-inning 3-2 comeback win over the Houston Baptist Huskies Tuesday evening at Olsen Field.
“We had our hands full tonight, and we were fortunate enough to come out on top,” A&M coach Rob Childress said. “We pitched at a very high level…it would have been tough to say we lost on one pitch…we were fortunate enough to answer back in the 13th.”
It was a stalemate until the Huskies mustered a run in the fifth. With two on, Greg Espinosa roped a single to first base, and the ball helplessly bounced off of Melton’s outstretched glove. The Huskies led 1-0 after five innings.
Keeping base runners on was a struggle for A&M as HBU made two momentum-killing double plays and picked off a man at first. Even when runners managed to stay on base, the Aggies had issues bringing them home. Overall A&M was 3-for-15 with runners on and 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position.
“We weren’t really mentally there for the first half,” Melton said. “Our at bats got better from the seventh on. This is a learning process for us. Coming up this weekend that won’t happen. We will be more mentally prepared to come out and put up a fight.”
The Aggies tied the game up in the seventh. Cole Bedford rocked a double down the left field line and George Janca brought him home, thanks in part to an HBU (5-4) fielding error, to make it a 1-1 game following seven frames.
Brigham Hill made his first start of the season on the bump for A&M. He pitched 4 2/3 innings, allowing one run on five hits while striking out three.
The bullpen was strong once again behind Hill. A&M threw seven relievers out to the mound where they allowed just one run on seven hits while striking out eight combined. Cason Sherrod came on in relief and earned the win, his first of the season.
Both squads had chances late in the game, but both pitching staffs tip-toed their way around the trouble to keep the score deadlocked.
Andrew Alvarez untied the knot in the 13th with an RBI single that gave HBU a 2-1 lead.
Olsen Magic took over in the bottom half of the frame. Boomer White, who had another three hit ballgame, reached base following a single. Melton stepped up and sliced an RBI triple down the right field line to tie the game 2-2.
“It was good,” Melton said. “Credit [Boomer White] for getting on base and allowing me to come up and not worry about placing the ball or where I hit it, [I was] just trying to get a base hit and it fell for me.”
With Melton on third and one out away, HBU elected to walk the next two batters to load the bases. Nick Choruby stepped in and drew the walk-off walk on a 3-1 count that gave A&M the 3-2 win over the Huskies.
“I went up there with an aggressive mindset,” Choruby said. “Once I was ahead in the count, I really got on the plate and put some pressure on him, trying to make him throw me a strike.”
The win gives A&M their 20th consecutive mid-week win. Next up, the Aggies will host Yale for a three-game series beginning on Friday night.
