Junior Cole Lankford’s 11th-inning walk off delivered the Texas A&M baseball team some Olsen Magic for the fourth time this season, and secured a series victory over the Florida Gators (15-9, 3-3 SEC) with a 4-3 victory Sunday afternoon at Olsen Field.
Freshman Nick Banks got things started for the Aggies in the 11th with a pinch-hit single. After advancing to second on a walk from senior Troy Stein, the stage was set for Lankford.
With a full count, Lankford hit a liner that flew past the defense and into right field, earning the Aggies their third SEC victory of the season and bringing out a mob of teammates from the A&M dugout to celebrate with Lankford.
“Right off the bat it took off toward the outfield,” Lankford said. “There’s not a better feeling to get a series win and do that. It was an awesome team win, we needed that more than anything. Now it’s time to get ready for Tuesday [against Sam Houston State].”A&M head coach Rob Childress shuffled things around for the Aggies second SEC series of the year. The usual Sunday starter, sophomore Grayson Long, got the nod on Saturday and led the Aggies to a 5-4 victory. Freshman Tyler Stubblefield got the start on the rubber in Sunday’s match.
“I’m proud of our bunch after losing a heartbreaker on Friday to show enough courage and toughness to come back and win the series,” Childress said. “I thought [Stubblefield] controlled the day and he didn’t let the day control him. He’s had a lot of firsts being a freshman. He commanded the fastball on both sides of the plate and for the most part limited the damage and stayed out of trouble.”
Stubblefield allowed two runs and five hits on six innings pitched, striking out three in his first weekend start of the year.
Junior Mitchell Nau put the Aggies in the lead in the bottom of the first, singling to left field and driving in junior Patrick McLendon. Nau was 2-for-4 on the day.
After the Gators evened things up in the third inning, sophomore Logan Taylor doubled down the left field line to put the Aggies back in the lead, 2-1. When Florida responded to tie the game, Taylor sent a ball down the first base line kicking up chalk to remain barely fair for an RBI double.
Parker Ray provided two perfect innings for the Aggies in the seventh and eighth before fellow senior Jason Jester came in for the save opportunity.
“Parker was great. Probably the biggest mistake of the day was going to Jester three days in a row and that one is on me,” Childress said. “Parker was in control of the game and I made a mistake there, but I learned from it. I have no problem using Jester twice in a weekend. Three times is probably a mistake based on the season we have in front of us.”
Florida was able to push across the tying run on Jester and tie the game up at three before a strikeout-throw out double play ended the top half of the ninth. Sophomore A.J. Minter was on the mound to work the Aggies out of the ninth inning jam and remained in the game for 2.2 innings to earn the win.
“Great weekend for Texas A&M baseball,” Minter said. “I just go out there and control what I can control. My arm is feeling great coming off of surgery and this is exactly where I want to be. I’m ready.”
The Aggies took an early lead on Saturday with a four-run second inning en route to a 5-4 victory over the Gators. Long – who entered Saturday’s matchup having allowed just one run all season – gave up four runs in 5.2 innings, but still received a win.
Junior Logan Nottebrok led A&M with two hits Saturday – going 2-for-4 on the day. Nottebrok’s 16 RBIs are second on the team behind Lankford.
Junior ace Daniel Mengden threw seven innings in a losing effort on Friday as the Aggies fell to the Gators 5-3 in 11 innings. The two teams remained knotted at three runs apiece from the sixth inning on until Florida was able to push across two runs in the top of the 11th.
A&M (17-8, 3-3 SEC) returns to action at 6:35 p.m. Tuesday against Sam Houston State at Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park.