February 13, 2007
No. 28 Texas A&M scored four first-inning runs and Jordan Chambless fanned five in the final 3 2/3 innings to lead the Aggies past McNeese State, 5-2, on a frigid Tuesday night at Olsen Field.
Chambless?â„¢ (2-0) five strikeouts upped his season total to 16 in only 8 2/3 innings. He allowed just one walk and did allow a hit.
?The first inning was fun to watch and we ran our offense to perfection,? A&M head coach Rob Childress said. ?Jordan did a great job finishing the game as he has done in all three of his outings now.?
In the first, Brandon Hicks drove in a run with a double, Craig Stinson and Luke Anders drove in runs with singles, and Brain Ruggiano plated a run with a sacrifice fly to center. In the inning, the Aggies had four stolen bases and a pair of bunt singles.
McNeese State finally got A&M starter Scott Migl in the top of the fifth. Two consecutive hit batters started the inning and a sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position. David Leatherwood grounded out, allowing Thomas Zabansky to score from third and cut the A&M lead to 4-1.
The Cowboys cut the lead to 4-2 in the top of the sixth. A&M reliever Kirkland Rivers allowed a lead single to Charlie Kingrey and hit Joe Hulett. After a sacrifice bunt moved both runners up a station, Jordan Chambless replaced Rivers. Bryan Cartie then lifted a sacrifice fly to center.
The Aggies added and insurance run in the bottom of the eighth to make the score 5-2. Hicks walked, stole second, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Craig Stinson, and score on a squeeze bunt by Kyle Colligan.
Smith (0-1) suffered the loss, allowing four runs in four complete innings.
Migl did not figure in the decision, allowing one run in 4 2/3 innings of work.
The Aggies return to action this Friday for the first game of a three-game series against Texas-Pan American. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. at Olsen Field.