March 02, 2006
The 29th-ranked Texas A&M baseball team will travel to Gainesville, Fla. for a three-game set this weekend against No. 5 Florida at McKethan Stadium.
After playing nine of their first 11 games at Olsen Field, the Aggies will play their next eight contests on the road.
| SERIES INFO |
| Friday, March 3, 5:30 p.m. (CST) Saturday, March 4, 1 p.m. (CST) Sunday, March 5, 12 p.m. (CST) McKethan Stadium (5,000), Gainesville, Florida |
| RECORDS (entering weekend) |
| Texas A&M: 11-1 Florida: 8-4 |
| RANKINGS |
| Texas A&M is ranked 29th by Collegiate Baseball and is receiving votes in USA Today/ESPN and the NCBWA poll. Florida is ranked 5th by Baseball America and the NCBWA, 6th by USA Today/ESPN and 7th by Collegiate Baseball. |
| RADIO |
| (broadcast time 30 min before first pitch) Tom Turbiville, play-by-play Chuck Glenewinkel, commentary |
| INTERNET |
| Live Stats (Fri): (gatorzone.com) Live Stats (Sat): (gatorzone.com) Live Stats (Sun): (gatorzone.com) Live Audio: (aggieathletics.com-subscription service) |
| SERIES |
| A&M leads, 1-0 Last Meeting: A&M 6, UF 5 (5/23/92) |
| UP NEXT |
| A&M vs. Texas State Tuesday, March 7, 6:30 p.m. (CST) Dell Diamond, Round Rock, Texas |
The Aggies enter the weekend riding one of their best starts in school history. After winning three of four-games and claiming the championship at the Domino's Pizza Aggie Baseball Classic at Olsen Field, A&M enters the Florida series with a record of 11-1.
A&M started the season with 10-straight wins, before dropping Sunday's game to Missouri State, 3-2. The A&M baseball team has started the season at least 10-0 nine times since 1950.
Florida enters the series with a record of 8-4 after a Tuesday loss to in-state rival and sixth-ranked Florida State, 6-4. Last weekend, Florida dropped two of three games at the Pepsi Baseball Classic in Gainesville.
Last year, Florida lost in the championship series of the College World Series to Texas and finished the year ranked second nationally.
The Aggies and Gators have played only once in the history of the two programs. In 1992, Texas A&M defeated Florida, 6-5, in the Gainesville Regional.
TICKETS
Fans can purchase tickets to this weekends games at Florida by calling the Florida Athletic Ticket Office at (800) 34-GATOR. Tickets to all Texas A&M home games can be purchased by calling the Texas A&M Athletic Ticket Office at (979) 845-2311 or (888) 99-AGGIE. Fans may also purchase tickets online at 12thmanfoundation.com. The gates at Olsen Field open 90 minutes prior to first pitch for non-conference games and two hours prior to first pitch for conference games.
RADIO
All Texas A&M baseball games will be broadcast live on WTAW AM-1620. Dave South, The Voice of the Aggies, will call the action and will be assisted throughout the season by Tom Turbiville, Chuck Glenewinkel and Gabe Bock. The pre-game show will begin 30 minutes prior to the start of each game.
AGGIE ULTIMATE ACCESS
Fans who are unable to attend Texas A&M's home games can watch them live on the internet. Aggie Ultimate Access will provide a live video and audio stream of all 32 of the Aggies' home games in 2006. Aggie Ultimate Access is an affordable membership site that can be accessed by logging onto www.AggieAthletics.com.
PROBABLE TEXAS A&M STARTING ROTATION
- GAME 1: Kyle Nicholson - Junior - RHP
Kyle Nicholson, a junior righty, will start the first game of the weekend for the fourth weekend in a row. He enters the game with a record of 2-0 and an ERA of 2.87. Nicholson has 17 strikeouts and just two walks in 15 2/3 innings. Nicholson earned the win in his first start against Northwestern State (2/10) by tossing 5 1/3 innings and allowing four runs - one earned - on seven hits. He lasted just four innings in his second start of the season against Northern Colorado (2/17). He rebounded with a solid outing (6 1/3 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 6 K) to earn his second win of the year against UNC Greensboro (2/24).
- GAME 2: Kyle Thebeau - Freshman - RHP
Kyle Thebeau, a true freshman, will be the second-game starter for the fourth straight week. Thebeau has a record of 1-0 and a sparkling ERA of 1.17. He has 18 strikeouts and six walks in 15 1/3 innings on the mound. He earned his first career win against Northern Colorado (2/17) by tossing six scoreless innings and allowing just one hit and striking out nine. Last weekend against Utah (2/25), he lasted only four innings, allowing four hits and one run.
- GAME 3: Austin Creps - Junior - RHP
Austin Creps, a junior right-hander and Texas Collegiate League Pitcher of the Year, will also be making his fourth start of the season. Creps has pitched a total of 19 1/3 innings in his previous three starts and has allowed just 15 hits on the season. He owns a record of 2-0 and an ERA of 1.40. Creps was the tough-luck loser in Sunday's game against Missouri State. He allowed three runs in five innings of work in the 3-2 loss.
SERIES INFORMATION
Texas A&M and Florida have played only once in the history of the two schools. The Aggies beat the Gators, 6-5, in 1992 in the Gainsville Regional at McKethan Stadium.
Chris Clemons earned the win, tossing 5 1/3 innings out of the bullpen. The Aggies used four eighth-inning runs to steal the win at the Gators home park. Outfielders Tim Holt and Billy Harlan each had two hits and Holt drove in three of the Aggies six runs.
Current A&M Director of Baseball Operations, Jason Hutchins was a pitcher on the team, but did not appear in the game.
WHO'S HOT
JORDAN CHAMBLESS: Earned saves in each of his last two outings ... Appeared in three games last weekend and did not allow a run in 3 2/3 innings out of the pen.
JOHN INFANTE: Has five hits and has scored four runs in the last three games.
JASON MEYER: Has not allowed a run in his last four appearaces (4 IP) ... has five strikeouts and no walks during that span.
JOSE SALAZAR: Currently riding a six-game hitting streak ... 8-for-25 (.320) during that span.
BLAKE STOUFFER: Currently has a three-game hitting streak and has five hits in his last nine at bats.
MATT UECKERT: Middle reliever who has not been scored on in 11 1/3 innings this year ... leads the team with three wins - all out of the bullpen.