Despite dropping from No. 1 in the country to No. 19 after six non-conference losses, Texas A&M baseball looked for a statement win in a mid-week tuneup against Prairie View A&M on Tuesday.
A notch in the W column before heading into conference play against No. 17 Alabama on March 13 was just what the doctor ordered for the Aggies as they cruised past the Panthers in seven inning, 14-0 run-rule fashion.
A recent loss to New Mexico State on Sunday may have battered the 12th Man’s relentless spirit, but it didn’t show up in the attendance on Tuesday’s spring break affair as Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park boasted 4,931 total fans.
The only notable change in the lineup after the loss to New Mexico State was the man behind home plate with sophomore catcher Bear Harrison receiving the nod for his fifth start of the season.
Despite recent game struggles on the mound, coach Michael Earley brought out sophomore right-handed pitcher Weston Moss to start. The Spring native held true until the top of the fourth, totaling three strikeouts and giving up only one hit until he was exchanged for sophomore left-handed pitcher Kaiden Wilson.
Sophomore RHP Demarques Thompson fell victim to junior shortstop Kaeden Kent’s electric baserunning skills as he rounded home for the first score of the evening after advancing on a balk and wild pitch. Afterward, the Austin native was sent home on a deep single off the left field wall from senior third baseman Wyatt Henseler.
Although Thompson earned a bit of relief from the Aggie bats after delivering two strikeouts, it wasn’t before giving up another run, this time to Henseler, as he rounded home off an RBI from freshman left fielder Terrence Kiel II.
Down 2-0 heading into the bottom of the second, the Panthers’ situation worsened after defensive lapses from redshirt sophomore first baseman Mac Bowie allowed Harrison to advance to third and freshman second baseman Sawyer Farr to find a spot on first. A sacrifice fly from Kent sent Harrison to score the third run for the Maroon and White before they headed back onto the field.
Amid chants of “Throw it in the dirt” and “Ball five” from Section 203, Thompson held onto his wits as he struck out senior 1B Gavin Kash. However, the pitcher from Katy couldn’t outlast the hungry Aggies, as Kiel made it to second off a throwing error and later home off a single down the middle from graduate designated player Hayden Schott.
After Thompson loaded up the bases in the bottom of the fourth by hitting batters and throwing wild pitches, sophomore RHP Marcus McMillan headed to the mound to face off against junior center fielder Jace LaViolette.
Nerves hit McMillan faster than the ball could hit Lord Tubbington as the Texas College transfer walked in Harrison to score the Aggies’ fifth run off a hit-by-pitch. Another walk from McMillan sent Farr through home as the Righty looked dazed on the mound.
Before making the switch to redshirt junior RHP Trace Sanchez, three back-to-back hits occurred off McMillan as Kash doubled down the middle, Kiel singled to right field and Schott singled to the left for a combined four runs.
Before the Panthers could put the monstrously bad fourth inning showing to rest, junior right fielder Jamal George hit a sacrifice fly to extend the score, 11-0.
Hands clapping to the sounds of “Rattlin’ Bog” could be heard from the corner of Bush and Olsen after LaViolette slammed his fifth home run of the year past the right field fence.
Similarly to the fourth inning, the PVAMU pitchers could not handle the pressure from the stands as they walked four Aggie batters before another run was pushed across, totaling 14 for A&M.
Next, the Aggies will face their first Southeastern Conference foe in No. 17 Alabama on Friday, March 14 at 6 p.m.
