Fresh off a series win over No. 7 Vanderbilt, the Texas A&M baseball team returns to College Station to take on the Abilene Christian Wildcats at 6:35 p.m. Wednesday at Olsen Field.
The Wildcats (12-20) come to College Station trying to recover from seven straight losses after being swept by Lamar, Texas Tech and Sam Houston State.
Senior infielder Seth Spivey leads ACU with a .393 batting average. Spivey also has a team high in home runs (3), runs scored (30), walks (16), stolen bases (10), slugging percentage (.607) and on-base percentage (.514). Spivey anchors the Wildcats in fielding as well, posting a team-high .979 fielding percentage.
The Aggies (22-15, 7-8 SEC) are placed fifth out of six teams in the SEC western division, but trail division-leading Alabama by only three games.
A&M freshman outfielder Nick Banks leads the club with a .337 batting average and .446 slugging percentage. Banks was 4-for-5 in his team’s 10-4 victory over Vanderbilt on Friday and added another hit in the Aggies 8-2 Sunday win.
Junior right-handed pitcher Corey Ray – who has appeared in eight games out of the bullpen for the Aggies this season – will make his first start Wednesday.
Ray enters play with a 2.35 ERA in 7.2 innings pitched. Last season, Ray made six starts for A&M. Ray marks the eighth different pitcher head coach Rob Childress has used as a starter this season.
The Wildcats will send a first-time starter to the mound Wednesday with junior Ladgie Zotyka expected to take the hill. In 12.1 innings out of the bullpen this year, Zotyka has posted a 6.57 ERA, striking out 10 and walking eight batters in his nine appearances.
After Wednesday’s matchup, the Aggies will host No. 19 Kentucky in a three-game weekend series at Olsen Field.