Texas A&M baseball lost its fourth consecutive game in the opening match of its series against Alabama on Friday, April 9.
Senior Will Frizzell was responsible for all of A&M’s scoring as he posted a two-run home run in the first inning and a solo home run in the eight inning. The Aggies recorded 10 hits on the night yet failed to convert in the 5-3 loss that drops the team to 19-13 overall and 3-7 in conference.
“I felt like we responded to adversity quite well tonight,” A&M coach Rob Childress said. “I thought we played an incredible Friday night game in the SEC. We had a great start by [senior pitcher] Dustin Saenz. [Our players are] disappointed we lost. Our guys certainly responded and played well tonight. I’m proud of our team.”
Saenz tightly battled with Alabama junior pitcher Tyler Ras through the majority of his stint on the mound, pitching through six innings to strike out nine batters and allow seven hits and four runs. Ras started the game for the Crimson Tide and pitched through 7.1 innings, striking out four Aggies and allowing eight hits.
“I think we still have some hope,” Saenz said. “This loss doesn’t really define who we are. All we’re going to do is keep on pushing and we’re going to break through that barrier and once we do that we’re going to be on a roll.”
Frizell was 3-of-4 on the night, making him the only A&M batter to make it to base more than once. With the two home runs, Frizzell is now tied for third in the NCAA in home runs with 11.
“The scouting report said [Ras] liked to throw fastballs, so I was looking for a fastball,” Frizzell said. “When you hit a ball well, it’s a reward of everything you’ve put in before that.”
The score was knotted at 2 until the sixth inning, when Alabama got one runner through and another in the next inning. Held scoreless for seven innings, Frizell brought the score to 4-3, but a final insurance run in the top of the ninth proved more than enough for Alabama.
“The game is going to come back to us,” Childress said. “That’s the test of this game. For us to have 10 hits tonight, we just didn’t string enough of them together to get ourselves the opportunity to win and [Alabama] did.”
Returning to the mound on Saturday after missing two weeks due to COVID-19 protocols is senior pitcher Bryce Miller, who has a 2.49 ERA with 38 strikeouts through 25.1 innings pitched.
“Our team is going to feel great each day coming to the field that we’re going to have a shot to win,” Childress said. “With Bryce Miller on the mound tomorrow and certainly Nathan Dettmer on Sunday. It’s about us going out and dominating the routine. Have
The second game of the three game series in Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park begins Saturday, April 10, at 2 p.m. Sunday’s game will begin at 1 p.m.