After a hot start, the Aggies needed a defensive stand to secure the monumental upset.
On Sunday, April 24, Texas A&M baseball hosted the SEC juggernaut No. 3 Arkansas Razorbacks for its third bout of the weekend series at Blue Bell Park in College Station. After winning a 2-1 slugfest on Friday, the Aggies fell behind early and lost 3-1 on Saturday to set up a series-deciding matchup on Sunday.
Energized by a hot start and some timely defense in the ninth inning, the Aggies escaped to clinch the series upset.
The Aggies got off to an electric start, grabbing five runs in the game’s opening inning. The scoring started when sophomore infielder Jack Moss brought home graduate infielder Kole Kaler and graduate outfielder Dylan Rock with a double. A home run by junior outfielder Austin Bost cleared the bases to create the 5-0 advantage.
After a back-and-forth affair followed, A&M held an 11-5 advantage in the top of the eighth inning. The Aggies’ sizable lead came crashing down when two singles and a double brought home five runners to make the score 11-10. After freshman pitcher Robert Hogan was pulled, graduate Jacob Palisch stepped up to the mound.
Over the next two innings, Palisch struck out three batters and allowed just one hit to shut down the Razorbacks and secure the 11-10 victory.
Following the victory, A&M coach Jim Schlossnagle said Palisch was not on the list to enter the game. After the graduate offered his services late in the game, the first-year A&M coach decided to go off-script and roll the dice with a change on the mound.
Schlossnagle did not hold back when discussing Palisch’s heroics, saying that the act should set an example for current and future Aggie players.
“For the rest of your career as a young player, that is your reference point,” Schlossnagle said. “When you look up warrior, competitor and teammate, he is the living and breathing example of what that looks like.”
The weekend’s outcome moves A&M to a 25-14 overall record on the season, with a 10-8 mark in SEC play. Alabama moves to 31-9 overall and 12-6 in the conference.
The A&M season continues with a midweek matchup against Sam Houston State at home on Tuesday, March 26. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.