Walker Pennington electrified the crowd in the first inning of Texas A&M’s midweek game against Dallas Baptist with an incredible throw to third base from deep right-center field to nab Tim Millard, who was trying to stretch a double into a triple.
As the game progressed and the Aggies clung to a one-run lead, it seemed as if that impressive display of arm strength would be the difference in the game, but a blend of stellar relief pitching and a three-run sixth inning ultimately propelled A&M to a 7-3 victory over Dallas Baptist.
“The bullpen was huge tonight,” senior center fielder Nick Choruby said after the game. “Everyone that came out of there did a great job, especially in tough spots.”
The visiting Patriots got on the board first courtesy of a second-inning solo home run off the scoreboard in left by Camden Duzenach, but A&M starter John Doxakis settled down after that. The freshman lefty retired seven of the next nine hitters he faced until he ran into trouble in the fourth and was removed in favor of Cason Sherrod.
Sherrod entered the game with runners on first and second with one out and quickly shut the door on a potential rally, striking out Ray Gaither and getting Luke Stratman to ground out to third to end the frame.
The Aggies’ offense got going in the third, with a little help from DBU. Pennington reached base with one out on an error by third baseman Matt Duce, and then three consecutive singles by Austin Homan, Nick Choruby and Logan Foster gave A&M a 2-0 advantage.
Sherrod pitched into the sixth inning before he surrendered a solo homer to Austin Listi and put runners on first and second with one out. Childress called on Kaylor Chafin to put out the fire, and he did just that.
Chafin needed only nine pitches to register two strikeouts and preserve the Aggies’ one-run lead.
“That was a big spot — he and Sherrod both,” Childress said. “With the game in the balance and traffic on the bases, that’s what we need those two guys to do.”
The A&M offense took the momentum gained from Chafin’s escape and channeled it into a big inning. Hunter Coleman led off the bottom-half of the sixth with a sharp single up the middle and, after George Janca bunted him over to second, Pennington and Cole Bedford reached base on back-to-back errors. Homan followed with an RBI double to center and Nick Choruby recorded an RBI groundout moments later.
Homan’s double came on what looked like a routine single up the middle, but he never slowed down around first and turned it into a double.
“I don’t like stopping [at first], I guess it’s kind of the way I’ve always been — I like to run. Maybe a little stupid on my part thinking I can run every time but it works out sometimes,” Homan said. “Anytime you can take an extra base on a hustle play it’s definitely a momentum shifter and it can get things going our way.”
That three-run outburst was more than enough for the A&M pitching staff. Chafin tossed a perfect seventh, Turner Larkins worked around a leadoff walk to produce a scoreless eighth and then Mitchell Kilkenny pitched around a solo homer in the ninth to secure the victory.
As a whole, the bullpen gave up only two runs in 5.2 innings of work, striking out seven.
“Each guy we went to [in relief] with traffic on the bases got us off the field and did a really nice job,” Childress said. “We attacked the strike zone, didn’t give away free base runners and took care of the baseball.”
The Aggies return to the diamond Friday for a three-game series with No. 11 Auburn at Blue Bell Park. First pitch of the series opener is slated for 6:30 and will be televised on SEC Network +.
“We know we’ll have our hands full with Auburn, they’re playing as good as anyone in the country,” Childress said. “It’s going to be a great challenge. We’re happy to be at home and it’s going to be a great weekend.”