Texas A&M baseball lost its second consecutive game of the Frisco College Classic to No. 8 UCLA by a score of 10-2.
This loss brings A&M’s record to 10-2 on the season but 0-2 in their last two games. After recording only three hits against Illinois, the Aggies only had one hit even while scoring two runs. This win for UCLA brings the Bruins’ season record to 10-0 and it marks their fourth straight game where the team has scored at least eight runs in a game.
The offensive fireworks started early for the Bruins. Redshirt junior Jarron Silva hit a single to right field to put UCLA on base, but this was followed up by a homerun from sophomore Matt McClain. A&M answered with a run of their own in the bottom of the first inning. Senior Cam Blake recorded an RBI, bringing home Bryce Blaum, who was on base after a leadoff walk. Blake was grounded out at second base.
Neither team scored until the top of the third inning where UCLA continued to increase their lead. Redshirt freshman JT Schwartz drew a leadoff walk and Kyle Cuellar brought him in on a two-run home run to centerfield. In the bottom of the fourth inning facing a 4-1 deficit, senior Hunter Coleman crushed a ball to left field to decrease the Bruins’ lead to only two.
This would be the last time the Aggies scored a run as the Bruins scored six consecutive runs to end the game.
At the top of the fifth, Kyle Cuellar drew a leadoff walk to first and advanced to second base on a groundout. He was brought home with the help of sophomore Mikey Perez as a hit to center field was good enough to advance Cuellar to home. At the end of the fifth inning, the Bruins led 5-2.
In the sixth inning, the Bruins scored four runs. Sophomore Noah Cardenas recorded an RBI on a single to left field. With bases loaded, Mikey Perez drove in a run with the help of an A&M field error. The Bruins scored two more runs as junior Garrett Mitchell forced a fielder’s choice that led to a run and Jarron Silvia hit a single that brought in a run.
In the seventh inning, UCLA scored their final run on an RBI single from Paul Caulfield. With loaded bases, Caulfield brought in a runner home on a ground out to second base. A&M was not able to score any more runs the rest of the game.
The frustration from coach Rob Childress was apparent after the lopsided loss.
“I am certainly disappointed in our performance tonight, in every facet; on the mound, defensively and offensively,” Childress told 12thman.com. “Give UCLA all the credit, they played so much better than we did. It wasn’t even close.”
On the mound, the Aggies struggled. Starting pitcher Christian Roa was tabbed with the loss. In 4.2 innings, Roa recorded seven strikeouts but allowed eight hits, five runs, and four walks in 27 at-bats. The Aggies had to bring in six different relief pitchers with four throwing pitches for less than an inning. Freshman relief pitcher Mason Ornelas ended the game pitching two strikes and allowing only one hit.
On the inconsistent pitching, Childress felt the team ”wasn’t on the attack.”
“We never got into a really good rhythm,” Childress said. “UCLA did a good job having us in the stretch and having pressure on us. We didn’t have a clean inning till the eighth inning. Obviously, Mason Ornelas was fantastic just to wrap things up for us and keep us from having to go back to the bullpen.”
The Aggies will have one more opportunity to record a win in the Frisco College Classic against No. 17 Oklahoma State. The game will take place at Dr. Pepper Ballpark and first pitch is at 3 p.m.