The Texas A&M baseball team bounced back from Sunday’s loss in the Round Rock Classic with midweek wins over Incarnate Word and Houston Baptist. The wins improved A&M’s record to 6-4 on the season.
Up next for the Aggies is a three-game home series against New Mexico State. A&M coach Rob Childress said the team is excited to play their second home series of the season.
“Well, I’m looking forward to our second series at home and being that much more comfortable as a team,” Childress said. “Being at home, playing a weekend series, and having our three weekend starters leading us off again for the second weekend at home.”
Childress said New Mexico State should be more comfortable playing the Aggies after last year’s series at Blue Bell Park.
“New Mexico State has a lot of familiarity being here last year,” Childress said. “They have some physicality up and down the lineup. Very good balance, left and right all the way through, Three veteran starters [who are] all right-handed. I think the biggest thing for New Mexico State [is] they have a lot of comfort being here at Olsen Field being here a year ago.”
After this week’s close wins, Childress said he is hopeful the team is on a positive trajectory.
“[I’m] thankful that we played well this midweek and neither one of them were easy,” Childress said. “That makes us a better team for it. Looking forward to getting out there tomorrow night under the lights.”
Junior starting pitcher Dustin Saenz said he thinks the guys on the team will have more of a comfort level playing their second weekend series at Olsen Field.
“I think that now that people are finally getting into the groove of things and we’re starting to get our toes wet,” Saenz said. “I feel like some of us are ready to be out there and feel more comfortable to [play] in front of the 12th Man.”
Infielder Bryce Blaum said the team’s depth is the root of its success.
“I think [our depth] speaks volumes to what our team has the potential to do,” Blaum said. We have [so much] depth at multiple positions that if one guy isn’t having a good weekend or couple stretch of games, we can throw somebody in there and let you hit the reset button. Somebody behind you is going to pick you up.”
Blaum also said he has been impressed by the way first baseman Will Frizzell has been performing to start the season.
“We have the best three-hole hitter in the country,” Blaum said. “Will Frizzell is on a whole different level than anybody I have ever seen in my life.”
Coming off of the week’s success, Saenz said the Aggies can’t underestimate the New Mexico State team they are facing this weekend starting at 6:30 p.m. Friday night.
“No team is a push-over and none of them are easy,” Saenz said. “We’re just going to go out there and attack.”