Aggies use three-run seventh to prevail in tightly contested pitchers' dual
March 20, 2015
HOOVER, AL - Alabama was outlasted by Texas A&M in a pitchers dual on Friday night inside the Hoover Met, falling to the Aggies by a final score of 4-2. With the score deadlocked at 1-1 through the first six innings, the Aggies used a three-run seventh to take the lead, and hung on to secure a 4-2 victory. With the loss, Alabama falls to 12-8 on the season, while the Texas A&M Aggies continue their perfect season, improving to 23-0.
"Offensively we just couldn't get anything going," said head coach Mitch Gaspard. "Really, we had the one inning and didn't threaten again until the ninth. We have a good pitching staff, but we have to do a better job of staying on some balls, and creating some more situations for ourselves offensively. The bullpen kept the game right there to give ourselves a shot, but we really couldn't generate much offense."
Alabama and Texas A&M exchanged runs in the first two innings before both starters settled in and worked four consecutive scoreless innings. Alabama's Taylor Guilbeau worked 6.1 quality frames, limiting the Aggies to just two hits before exiting in the top of the seventh with the game tied at 1-1.
"After the first inning Taylor really settled in and showed some guts to get us to the middle part of the game," said Gaspard. "It was really important for him to stay in there and get us to the middle part of the game where we didn't have to burn too many guys."
The Aggies would strike for three runs after Guilbeau's exit, tacking an additional run onto his ledger. The senior southpaw also fanned a career-high 11 batters, the most by any Tide hurler in a game this season.
Texas A&M starter Grayson Long was equally impressive, holding the Tide to just one run on three hits and two walks, while striking out 14.
"Grayson Long was really good tonight and piled up the strikeouts," said Gaspard. "He got into a really good rhythm and his command was excellent in working the edges on both sides. As soon as we started looking away, he popped us in. We just never adjusted to what he was doing."
Mikey White and Chance Vincent each turned in multi-hit efforts for the Tide, while Will Haynie collected the lone RBI in the bottom of the second. The Tide also manufactured a run in the bottom of the ninth, as White scored on an infield single/throwing error to draw the score to 4-2.
Second baseman Ryne Birk shot the game-winning, two-run double to deep right-center in the top of the seventh for the Aggies, extending Texas A&M's lead to 3-1. Ronnie Gideon finished with the lone multi-hit performance, going 2-4 with a run scored.
The Tide and Aggies will line up again tomorrow and play a traditional doubleheader after the threat of inclement weather forced the two teams to cancel Sunday's originally scheduled series finale. The first game of Saturday's twinbill will start at 1:00 p.m., followed by the nightcap which is scheduled for 40 minutes after the conclusion of game one. Both games will be available on SEC Network+.
The first game of Saturday's twinbill will start at 1 p.m. CT on SEC Network+. The nightcap will follow 40 minutes after the conclusion of game one.
Get all the latest information on the team by following AlabamaBSB on Twitter and Instagram and on Facebook at Alabama Baseball. General athletic news can be found at UA_Athletics on Twitter and Instagram and AlabamaAthletics on Facebook.
-UA-
RTR,
Diamond Tide :biga:
March 20, 2015
HOOVER, AL - Alabama was outlasted by Texas A&M in a pitchers dual on Friday night inside the Hoover Met, falling to the Aggies by a final score of 4-2. With the score deadlocked at 1-1 through the first six innings, the Aggies used a three-run seventh to take the lead, and hung on to secure a 4-2 victory. With the loss, Alabama falls to 12-8 on the season, while the Texas A&M Aggies continue their perfect season, improving to 23-0.
"Offensively we just couldn't get anything going," said head coach Mitch Gaspard. "Really, we had the one inning and didn't threaten again until the ninth. We have a good pitching staff, but we have to do a better job of staying on some balls, and creating some more situations for ourselves offensively. The bullpen kept the game right there to give ourselves a shot, but we really couldn't generate much offense."
Alabama and Texas A&M exchanged runs in the first two innings before both starters settled in and worked four consecutive scoreless innings. Alabama's Taylor Guilbeau worked 6.1 quality frames, limiting the Aggies to just two hits before exiting in the top of the seventh with the game tied at 1-1.
"After the first inning Taylor really settled in and showed some guts to get us to the middle part of the game," said Gaspard. "It was really important for him to stay in there and get us to the middle part of the game where we didn't have to burn too many guys."
The Aggies would strike for three runs after Guilbeau's exit, tacking an additional run onto his ledger. The senior southpaw also fanned a career-high 11 batters, the most by any Tide hurler in a game this season.
Texas A&M starter Grayson Long was equally impressive, holding the Tide to just one run on three hits and two walks, while striking out 14.
"Grayson Long was really good tonight and piled up the strikeouts," said Gaspard. "He got into a really good rhythm and his command was excellent in working the edges on both sides. As soon as we started looking away, he popped us in. We just never adjusted to what he was doing."
Mikey White and Chance Vincent each turned in multi-hit efforts for the Tide, while Will Haynie collected the lone RBI in the bottom of the second. The Tide also manufactured a run in the bottom of the ninth, as White scored on an infield single/throwing error to draw the score to 4-2.
Second baseman Ryne Birk shot the game-winning, two-run double to deep right-center in the top of the seventh for the Aggies, extending Texas A&M's lead to 3-1. Ronnie Gideon finished with the lone multi-hit performance, going 2-4 with a run scored.
The Tide and Aggies will line up again tomorrow and play a traditional doubleheader after the threat of inclement weather forced the two teams to cancel Sunday's originally scheduled series finale. The first game of Saturday's twinbill will start at 1:00 p.m., followed by the nightcap which is scheduled for 40 minutes after the conclusion of game one. Both games will be available on SEC Network+.
The first game of Saturday's twinbill will start at 1 p.m. CT on SEC Network+. The nightcap will follow 40 minutes after the conclusion of game one.
Get all the latest information on the team by following AlabamaBSB on Twitter and Instagram and on Facebook at Alabama Baseball. General athletic news can be found at UA_Athletics on Twitter and Instagram and AlabamaAthletics on Facebook.
-UA-
RTR,
Diamond Tide :biga:
