Texas A&M (22-9, 4-7 SEC) struck big early and carried its offensive momentum throughout the game behind a stout start from pitcher John Doxakis in a 9-2 win over No. 17 LSU (20-12, 6-5 SEC) Friday night at Olsen Field.
Before the game, dirt was on the Aggies’ pants, as junior catcher Cole Bedford headed a mentality shift which led guys to warm-up with a different intensity.
“There’s been a few times where we’ve come out this year and we’ve been laid back in our pre-game and that’s when we’re not ready to go from the first pitch,” A&M left fielder Logan Foster said. “Today we kind of changed it up and we had guys diving all over the place, sliding when we were taking BP … you could tell it was a whole different mentality.”
A&M’s aggressive approach paid early dividends as the Aggies batted around in the bottom of the first scoring five runs on six hits.
Childress changed up the top of the order for the first time all season, moving Zach DeLoach down to the seven-hole with Michael Helman leading off. Helman opened with a single, and DeLoach pushed across a run later in the inning with a double to right center.
“It gives Zach DeLoach an opportunity to breathe a little bit,” Childress said. “And the top of the order was on base nine times tonight. It’s a good thing when it works and we certainly needed something to go our way.”
Childress said the biggest moment of the game came in the top of the first, however, as the Aggies held LSU at bay after the Tigers threatened with runners on second and third with just one out.
“The first inning ended up being the deciding factor,” Childress said. “It looks like they’re going to come away with at least one, maybe more runs, and Dox didn’t allow that to happen and we come in and are ready to go offensively. Grabbed the lead and off we went.”
Due to the hot start, A&M chased LSU’s starting pitcher Caleb Gilbert (L, 3-3) in just 0.2 innings.
His counterpart, Doxakis (W, 5-1) delivered a dominant outing, throwing 8.0 innings and allowed two runs after scattering six hits. His lone blemish came in the fourth inning when a nice gust carried a two-run homer just over the right field fence for LSU’s Daniel Cabrera.
“Dox was unbelievable on the mound,” Foster said. “Honestly, that’s the best I’ve seen him pitch and just the way he commanded the zone and he attitude about him on the mound and he was the one throwing the first punch.”
In the fifth, the Aggies added three more runs after the Tigers began to tank in the field. LSU centerfielder Zach Watson misplayed a liner by Braden Shewmake, which allowed Logan Foster to score all the way from first. Shewmake came across the plate on a wild pitch on the next at-bat.
A&M tacked on insurance in the seventh, as Zach DeLoach singled into left field with the infield in to plate pinch-runner Allonte Wingate from third.
Sophomore outfielder Cam Blake made his season-debut for A&M as a pinch-hitter. Blake was cleared in a hit-only role earlier this week after recovering from a labrum injury sustained in January. Blake went 0-for-2 in his return.
“He had a couple of nice at-bats and is certainly somebody who can give us a boost off the bench and pinch-hit or even DH against right-handed pitching,” Childress said. “He’s a good hitter and he’s a lot stronger than he was last year. Now that he’s healthy, it’s certainly a good thing for us.”
The Aggies will meet the Tigers in the rubber-match tomorrow afternoon as A&M hopes to clinch its first conference series win of the season.
“We had an opportunity a couple weeks ago against Ole Miss, weren’t able to get it done and I’m certain Mitchell Kilkenny will be ready to go,” Childress said. “That’s all you can ask for to be at home with a chance to win the series and we certainly need one in the worst way.”