February 25, 2006
Matt Ueckert and Jordan Chambless combined to toss five innings of scoreless relief on Saturday night and the A&M offense scored four runs in the ninth to lead the Aggies past Utah, 6-1, before 4,580 fans at Olsen Field.
Ueckert (2-0) tossed 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief to earn the win. He allowed one hit and whiffed five.
Chambless threw the final 2 1/3 to earn his first save of the year.
With the win, the Aggies improved to 10-0, while Utah dropped to 5-6. The 10-0 start is the ninth time since 1950 the Aggies have began the season with 10-straight wins.
?I thought Kyle Thebeau didn?â„¢t have his great command today,? A&M head coach Rob Childress said. ?I thought he battled really hard and I was really proud of the way Ueckert and Chambless came out of the pen and did their job. The game was tight for a long time and I was proud that we did not crack under the pressure.?
Thebeau lasted only four-plus innings and allowed one run on four hits. He struck out two and walked one.
Blake Stouffer led the way offensively for the Aggies, going 3-for-3 with a run scored.
A&M, the designated visiting team, scored in the top of the first off Utah starter Erik King. John Infante led off the inning with a single and moved to second on Blake Stouffer?â„¢s bunt single. After a double steal, Infante scored on a groundout by Jose Salazar.
Thebeau escaped a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the bottom of the first. He fanned John Welsh for the second out and coaxed Erich Kemp to ground into a fielder?â„¢s choice to end the inning and the threat.
Utah did get to Thebeau in the third for a run to tie the game at one. Ryan Khoury was hit by a pitch to start the inning and moved to third on a single to right by Bret Baldwin. Khoury trotted home on a deep sacrifice fly to left by Jay Brossman.
The Aggies regained the lead, in the top of the fifth when Austin Boggs?â„¢ sacrifice fly to left plated Stouffer.
After a lead single by Khoury in the fifth, A&M Ueckert replaced Thebeau.
A&M opened up the lead with four runs in the top of the ninth to make the score 6-1. Infante had an RBI double in the inning and Jose Salazar bunted home a run. The other two runs scored on three Utah errors in the frame.
King (1-2) shouldered the loss, allowing two runs on five hits in five-complete innings.
Missouri State outlasted UNC Greensboro in the first game of the day by scoring a run in the bottom of the 14th to win the game, 8-7.
The tournament continues on Sunday with a pair of games. Missouri State and Utah play at 1 p.m. and Missouri State faces Texas A&M at 7 p.m.