The Aggies took the lead in the third inning and never looked back as No. 25 Texas A&M (10-4, 0-0 SEC) defeated the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (4-9, 1-2 C-USA) in the first of a three game series at Blue Bell Park at Olsen Field Friday night by a score of 5-3.
3,602 were in attendance as junior Daniel Mengden took the mound against the Bulldogs, allowing just two hits and two runs, one earned, across seven innings. Mengden struck out eight of the 29 batters he faced while walking four in 111 pitches.
“If we can get a starter through seven innings with a lead, we feel good about where we can go,” said senior catcher Troy Stein who was two-for-three on the night including a run scored. “We can give the ball to [senior Jason] Jester and get him going, he’s going to save a lot of games for us this year.”
Jester worked around two walks in 1.1 innings and logged his first save of the season.
“That’s big for me. It’s going to help a lot,” Jester said. “If coach is going to roll me out there in the ninth, it’s my responsibility to shut it down. A big thing for me is to get ahead early.I have a lot of room for improvement but I’m glad to get the first [save] under my belt and I feel like it is all downhill from here.”
The Bulldogs struck first in the top of the second inning aided by two errors from Junior third baseman Logan Nottebrok. Down 1-0 in the bottom of the same inning, Nottebrok connected with a pitch from LA Tech Sophomore Adam Derouen for his team-leading fourth home run of the season to tie the game. Nottebrok was 1-3 with a walk for the night.
“He’s a winner,” said A&M head coach Rob Childress of Nottebrok. “He’s just a competitor that doesn’t flinch when adversity hits him. For him to answer back was huge both for him and for [the team].”
Sophomores J.B. Moss and Hunter Melton contributed two hits each for the Aggies. Moss had a double as well as a stolen base while Melton had a double of his own as well as an RBI.
A&M had 10 hits on the night compared to Louisiana Tech’s four.
Aggie Senior Krey Bratsen received the starting nod from Coach Childress in centerfield. The start was the 189th of Bratsen’s career and his 200th game as an Aggie, making him the 16th athlete in school history to reach that mark.
Bratsen registered a walk as well as an RBI in the bottom of the eighth to provide the Aggies with insurance late in the game.
Due to weather concerns, Saturday’s game which was previously scheduled for 6:35 p.m.has been rescheduled to 1:05 p.m.