Now 7-0 on the season, Texas A&M club baseball delivered an impressive weekend performance in a four-game sweep, winning 7-5 against Colorado in Game 1, shutting out Iowa 10-0 in Game 2, winning 12-2 vs. Texas in Game 3 and repeating a win vs. Colorado 13-5 in Game 4. The tournament was played Feb. 21-22 at Franklin Ranch Community Park.
Coach and shortstop/second baseman Aaron Dickerson noted the grit and determination the Aggies needed to sweep the Longhorns, ranked No. 2 in the Gulf Coast South region of the National College Baseball Association, No. 2 Iowa in Mid-America North and No. 2 Colorado in the Mid-America West NCBA regions.
“Gentlemen, way to push through this weekend,” Dickerson told his players after Game 4. “From the first pitch to the last play, we played the game how it’s meant to be played.”
In Game 1, the Aggies were able to top the Buffs despite Colorado starting off with a commanding 3-0 lead in the first inning. Sport management senior David Villarreal got the Aggies on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second. By the top of the fifth, A&M still trailed by four runs.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, mechanical engineering graduate student Ethan Purrington walked to bring in manufacturing and mechanical engineering technology senior Jake Thompson for one run. In the seventh inning, general engineering freshman Trey Bartee III hit a two-run single. Agribusiness senior Colby Dye also singled, bringing in another run for the 7-5 lead. Sports management graduate student and pitcher Cade Bickham clutched the win for the Aggies by only giving up two hits and striking out seven batters.
After the Friday win, A&M club baseball president and pitcher Alex Reyes described the comeback win as a matter of just “finding it.”
“After tonight’s win, all I can say is: That’s Aggie baseball for you,” Reyes said. “Even when we fall behind, there’s always a way out. Tomorrow we’re looking to warm up the bats earlier in the game and continue to execute during crucial situations.”
In Game 2 on Saturday morning, A&M dominated Iowa in a 10-0 shutout. Management information systems junior Christian Letendre set the tone early, leading the Aggies off in the first inning with two runs. Aerospace engineering senior and pitcher James Sattler only gave up two hits over the span of five innings, striking out a total of six and walking four.
“The main approach I had was to throw the ball over the plate and let them put it in play,” Sattler said. “If they hit it, I knew I had a solid defense behind me.”
In Game 3 against rival Texas, agricultural economics junior Tyler Dickerson started the game off by getting hit by two pitches that resulted in two runs for A&Ms. Mechanical engineering senior JP Maggio was the star of the show, driving in four RBIs. The Aggies had a strong eye at the plate, leading to 12 walks and a total of four stolen bases.
Reyes emphasized the importance of staying focused on the game after their Texas win, and bringing the same energy into the final Game 4.
“We always take it one game at a time and leave the past where it belongs,” Reyes said. “The only thing we carry from wins like that is the momentum. We ride that growing wave until the end.”
Game 4 was a repeat win over Colorado. The Aggies got on the board in the first inning with a walk, a HBP and three ground outs, while the Buffs added only a single run to make the score 5-1 at the end of the first. Meteorology sophomore Brandon Wegmann singled in the third, fifth and eighth innings, while economics junior Zane Councill, Dye and Letendre also got on the scoreboard for the final 13-5 win.
The Aggies are ranked No. 1 in the Gulf Coast South region of the NCBA and will take on Arlington Baptist on Friday, Feb. 28 in Fort Worth at 6 p.m.
