Texas A&M baseball headed down to Fayetteville to take on No. 2 Arkansas at home, which boasted a 24-1 record on the season, before the Aggies took the first game of the series Thursday night, 7-4.
Redshirt junior left-handed pitcher Ryan Prager got the start for the Aggies, pitching four innings and giving up six hits, one of which was a two-run shot from Arkansas’ junior shortstop Wehiwa Aloy, who tied the game at four in the third inning.
The Aggies were able to strike quickly in the first after getting two runners on before sending sophomore designated hitter Caden Sorrell up to the plate. A single from Sorrell drove an Aggie home, giving A&M a quick 1-0 lead over No. 2 in the country.
In the second inning after trailing 2-1, the Aggies were able to load the bases with one out, sending junior center fielder Jace LaViolette up to the plate. LaViolette was able to reach on a fielder’s choice, sending a runner across the plate to tie it up at two.
A two-out double from graduate third baseman Wyatt Hensler cleared the bases, adding two more runs for the Aggies, going up 4-2 on the road.
The two-run shot from Aloy in the bottom of the third once again evened out the score, making it anybody’s ballgame with plenty of time left.
The fifth was all for the Aggies, with the struggle of junior LHP Zach Root, sending Sorrell around the bases off of back-to-back wild pitches. A 36-mph hit off the bat from junior SS Kaeden Kent drove in Sorrell to reclaim the lead for the Aggies before redshirt sophomore first baseman Blake Binderup reached on a fielder’s choice and recorded a run to put the Maroon and White up 6-4.
Prager was retired in the fifth after allowing his sixth hit of the day and putting the tying run on base. Sophomore right-handed pitcher Weston Moss relieved Prager and had a phenomenal outing, recording five strikeouts and only allowing three hits. With the win, Moss moves to an impressive 5-2 on the season.
“I mean changeup obviously,” Moss said when asked about what was working for him. “I mean I threw that like 80% of the time. I mean I love throwing it, it’s always fun and they always struggle with it, so it’s a blast to throw.”
Moss was able to record a much-needed three-up-three-down inning, putting the Aggies within three outs of victory. With no Aggie runs since the top of the fifth, LaViolette nailed a solo shot over the left field fence to record his 12th home run of the season and put his team up 7-4.
After a one-run ninth inning, Moss and the Aggie defense headed back out to the field looking for three quick outs.
A leadoff hit from sophomore catcher Ryder Helfrick gave the Razorbacks an early baserunner, igniting the crowd at Baum-Walker Stadium. Going down 3-0 in the count, Moss kept his composure and came back to record a much-needed strikeout.
What could’ve been a game-ending double play for the Aggies ended up becoming a fielder’s choice, allowing Arkansas to keep hope. A single from senior pinch hitter Kendall Diggs sent the tying run up to the plate, but a routine groundout would end the night for the Razorbacks for only their second loss at home this season.
The Maroon and White are back in action against the Hogs in a doubleheader on Friday, April 18, at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.
