Texas A&M
7-0
South Alabama
0-3
Late Rally Gives Aggies Series Sweep over South Alabama
Feb 22, 2004 | Baseball
February 22, 2004
Cliff Pennington singled home Kevin Whelan in the bottom of the ninth to earn No. 21 Texas A&M a 4-3 win over South Alabama in front of 4,188 fans at Olsen Field.
With the score tied at three, Whelan led off the ninth with a double off the wall in left. Austin Boggs perfectly executed a sacrifice but to move Whelan to third. After Erik Schindewolf walked, Pennington scorched a line drive off the glove of the Jaguars' diving third baseman, allowing Whelan to score the game-winner.
With the win, the Aggies moved to 7-0 while South Alabama dropped to 0-3.
Jason Meyer dominated the final 2.2 innings to pick up his third win of the young season. Meyer allowed one single and five of the eight men he retired were via strikeout.
South Alabama used a couple of A&M miscues to score the game's first run in the top of the second. Josh Touchstone reached on a fielding error by Pennington at short and stole second. Jansen Rayborn laid down a bunt in front of the plate, which was fielded by A&M catcher Kevin Whelan. Whelan's throw to third sailed into left field, allowing Touchstone to trot home.
A&M threatened in the bottom of the second after Coby Mavroulis, Andrew Baldwin and John Infante each singled to load the bases. South Alabama starting pitcher Jeramy Simmons struck out he next three men he faced to end the threat.
USA scored again in the top of the third without getting a hit. Kevin Williams walked to lead off the inning, stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Ben Froemming's groundout plated Williams and gave the Jaguars a 2-0 lead.
With the bases loaded and one out in the top of the fourth, freshman Kyle Nicholson replaced starter Robert Ray. Nicholson coaxed a pop up to the infield and a fly ball to right to end the inning and get out of the jam.
Ray lasted 3.1 innings, allowing two runs - one earned - on one hit. The sophomore right-hander struck out two, walked three and hit a man.
Nicholson threw three solid relief innings, allowing one run on two hits to keep Texas A&M within striking range.
The Aggies got on the board in the bottom of the fifth to cut the lead to 2-1. Whelan walked, moved to second on a single by Austin Boggs and advanced to third on a groundout by Erik Schindewolf. Whelan scored when USA shortstop Guillermo Martinez booted a ground ball off the bat of Cliff Pennington.
South Alabama stretched the lead to 3-1 in the top of the seventh when Adam Lind's triple of the green monster in center plated Ben Froemming.
The Aggies tied the game in the seventh and chased Simmons from the game. Whelan led off the inning with a bloop single to right and two batters later, Schindewolf drilled an RBI double. Schindewolf moved to third on an infield single by Pennington and scored on a sacrifice fly by Cory Patton.
Justin Rayborn (0-1) suffered the loss for South Alabama.
The Aggies return to action this Tuesday, Feb. 24, when they host Texas - San Antonio. First pitch is set for 7 p.m. at Olsen Field.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Meyer, Jason (3-0)
L: Rayborn, Justin (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Touchstone, Josh 1
3B: Lind, Adam 1
RBI: Froemming, Ben 1 ; Lind, Adam 1
SH: Rayborn, Jansen 1 ; Land, Tim 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Froemming, Ben 1 ; Touchstone, Josh 1 ; Williams, Kevin 1
SB: Froemming, Ben 1 ; Touchstone, Josh 1 ; Williams, Kevin 1
HBP: Froemming, Ben 1 ; Williams, Kevin 1
Batting:
2B: Schindewolf, Erik 1 ; Whelan, Kevin 1
RBI: Schindewolf, Erik 1 ; Pennington, Cliff 1 ; Patton, Cory 1
SH: Boggs, Austin 1
SF: Patton, Cory 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Schindewolf, Erik 1 ; Whelan, Kevin 3
SB: Pennington, Cliff 1
