The Aggies have found a way again and again to come through late in ballgames, and Tuesday night they notched a 4-3 comeback win over the Rice Owls to bump their win streak to five games. Now, top-ranked A&M will continue a nine-game homestand this weekend against SEC foe Mississippi State.
The Bulldogs (21-14, 5-7 SEC) are coming off a series win over South Carolina last weekend, though they dropped their mid-week contest at Memphis. Reid Humphreys has 21 RBIs this year and leads the team with five home runs.
Jacob Robson will be a threat on the bases as well, as he has gone 15-for-20 on stolen base attempts this year. Also, in seven career games against the Aggies, senior Wes Rea has gone 13-for-30 (.433) with six RBIs. Mississippi State is 7-1 against A&M in College Station.
For the Aggies (31-2, 9-2 SEC), the lineup has been lethal all season. Nick Banks has reached base safely in all 32 games he has played in this season, and he is on a 10-game hit streak.
Mitchell Nau — who is on a 10-game hit streak of his own — has also been on fire as of late.
Through that span, Nau has a .409 average with seven RBIs. A&M also has had four consecutive games with multiple home runs, and have hit 12 home runs during its five-game win streak.
The Aggie pitching staff has been one of the best in the country this season, tied for second in the nation in team ERA. Friday night, junior Grayson Long will take the mound for A&M. In his last outing against Kentucky, Long got the win in 4 1/3 innings of work, with one run on six hits while striking out six. He leads the team in strikeouts (56). Game time is set for 6:35 p.m.
Saturday, Kyle Simonds will make his second start of the season after beginning the year in the bullpen. In his first start against Missouri, Simonds worked five innings, surrendering two unearned runs on only three hits. Simonds will throw the first pitch at 1:05 p.m.
Matt Kent will get the nod for A&M on Sunday afternoon. Last time out against Kentucky in the double header, Kent went 3 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on five hits in the game. Kent will get the game started at 12:05 p.m.
A&M is 23-1 within the friendly confines of Olsen Field this season.
