Texas A&M
35-14, 11-9
Nebraska
30-14, 9-9
Mavroulis Homer Lifts Aggies to Series Win Over Huskers
May 02, 2004 | Baseball
May 02, 2004
Coby Mavroulis hit a three-run home run with two outs in the top of the ninth to lift the 10th-ranked Texas A&M Aggies to a 7-6 win over No. 19 Nebraska in front of 4,819 fans at Haymarket Park.
With runners on first and second and the Aggies trailing 6-4, Mavroulis crushed the first pitch he saw from Nebraska reliever Jeremy Becker over the wall in right. The homer was the third of the season for Mavroulis.
Pinch hitter Justin Ruggiano led off the inning by getting hit by reliever Brett Jensen. Travis Bartek grounded into a fielder's choice and Matt Alexander single up the middle. The hit was a season-high third of the day for Alexander. Jeremy Becker replaced Jensen and struck out the first man he faced, Cliff Pennington, for the second out of the inning and set the stage for Mavroulis' heroics.
With the win, the Aggies improved to 35-14 overall and to 11-9 in Big 12 play. Nebraska dropped to 30-14 and 9-9 in the league. It marked the first series win in Lincoln, for the Aggies since 1998.
Doug Frame (2-1) earned the first conference win of his career by pitching the final 1.1 innings. Frame entered the game with two outs in the bottom of the eighth and struck out Jesse Boyer with runners on second and third to end the inning. Frame allowed a baserunner in the ninth, but coaxed Alex Gordon to pop up to Pennington at short to end the game.
Nebraska scored three runs in the bottom of the first to take the early lead off A&M starting pitcher Kyle Marlatt. Colin Shockey started the inning with a double and moved to third on a groundout by Joe Simokaitis. After Gordon was intentionally walked, Curtis Ledbetter singled to left to plate Shockey. Another groundout moved the runners up a base and a passed ball and a wild pitch by Marlatt allowed two more runs to cross.
The Aggies chased Nebraska starter Dustin Timm by scoring three runs on four hits in the top of the third. Alexander started the inning by hitting his first home run of the season. Pennington singled and stole second and Mavroulis and Cory Patton followed with RBI doubles. Brett Jensen replaced Timm and retired the first three men he faced to end the inning with no further damage.
Timm lasted two innings plus four hitters and allowed three earned runs on six hits.
After Marlatt retired 14 straight hitters, Shockey started the bottom of the sixth with a single and moved to second on a groundout by Simokaitis. The Aggies elected to walk Gordon to set up the double play. Ledbetter drove an offering from Marlatt over the right-center field wall to give the Huskers a 6-3 lead.
Marlatt was lifted after the homer and lasted 5.1 innings, allowing six runs (five earned) on only four hits.
Craig Stinson hit a solo homer in the top of the eighth to get the Aggies to within one run of the Huskers.
The Aggies will have next week off for final exams and will return to action on Tuesday, May 11, against Texas-San Antonio. First pitch is set for 7 p.m. at Olsen Field.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Frame, Doug (2-1)
L: Becker, J. (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Mavroulis, Coby 1 ; Patton, Cory 1 ; Stinson, Craig 1
HR: Mavroulis, Coby 1 ; Stinson, Craig 1 ; Alexander, Matt 1
RBI: Mavroulis, Coby 4 ; Patton, Cory 1 ; Stinson, Craig 1 ; Alexander, Matt 1
SH: Stinson, Craig 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Pennington, Cliff 1 ; Mavroulis, Coby 2 ; Stinson, Craig 1 ; Bartek, Travis 1 ; Alexander, Matt 2
SB: Pennington, Cliff 1
HBP: Ruggiano, Justin 1
Batting:
2B: Shockey, C. 1
HR: Ledbetter, C 1
RBI: Ledbetter, C 4
Base Running:
RUNS: Shockey, C. 2 ; Gordon, A. 2 ; Ledbetter, C 2
