April 10, 2008
The 8th-ranked Texas A&M baseball team puts a season-high 10-game win streak on the line this weekend when the Aggies (27-6, 9-3) host the Oklahoma Sooners (22-10-1, 3-5-1) in a Big 12 series at Olsen Field.
First pitch on Friday and Saturday is set for 6:30 p.m. Sunday's finale will begin at 1 p.m. and will be televised nationally by FOX College Sports, with Dan McLaughlin and Keith Moreland calling the action. Check local listings for station and airtime nearest you.
A&M enters the weekend with its highest ranking of the season. Included in the Aggies' unbeaten run are a pair of Big 12 series sweeps?-at Kansas and, most recently, at home over Kansas State. Texas A&M sits in second place in the league at 9-3.
OU sits in seventh place in the league at 3-5-1. The Sooners, who rank fourth in the Big 12 with 22 victories in '08, have a series win over Baylor and have dropped meetings with Nebraska and Texas.
Fans can listen to every pitch locally on the flagship home of Texas A&M Athletics, News/Talk 1620 WTAW. Dave South, Scott Clendenin and Chuck Glenewinkel call the action all season long. All broadcasts begin 15 minutes prior to first pitch.
Oklahoma SOONERS (22-10-1, 3-5-1 Big 12) at #8 Texas A&M AGGIES (27-6, 9-3 Big 12)
Friday, April 11 ?* 6:30 p.m. CDT
Saturday, April 12 ?* 6:30 p.m. CDT
Sunday, April 13 ?* 1 p.m. CDT
C.E. "Pat" Olsen Field (7,053) ?* College Station, Texas
TELEVISION: FOX College Sports (Sunday)
RADIO: WTAW-AM 1620
FREE LIVE VIDEO: Aggies All-Access (Fri & Sat only)
GAMETRACKER: aggieathletics.com
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
FRIDAY
A&M - #30 Brooks Raley (Fr., LHP, 5-0, 3.07 ERA)
OU - #12 Jeremy Erben (So., RHP, 1-0, 3.53 ERA)
SATURDAY
A&M - #50 Barret Loux (Fr., RHP, 1-1, 5.54 ERA)
OU - #14 Andrew Doyle (So., RHP, 5-2, 2.63 ERA)
SUNDAY
A&M - #13 Clayton Ehlert (So., RHP, 4-2, 3.38 ERA)
OU - TBD
TICKET INFORMATION
RESERVED $11
ADULT GEN. ADMISSION $7
YOUTH GEN. ADMISSION $5
STUDENT GEN. ADMISSION $4
TICKET OFFICE (888) 99-AGGIE or (979) 845-2311
TICKET WEBSITE www.aggieathletics.com
parking information
RESERVED PARKING 100i, 100j, 100k (Olsen)
GENERAL PARKING 100e, 100g (Reed)
MEDIA PARKING (PASS REQUIRED) 100i (Olsen)
for more information visit transport.tamu.edu.
For media parking info contact A&M Media Relations.
LEADING OFF...
?* At 9-3, A&M has matched its best-ever start in Big 12 play...the 1999 team also went 9-3 en route to its second-straight league title.
?* A&M has swept back-to-back Big 12 series (Kansas and Kansas State) for the first time since 1999...the Aggies swept Nebraska and K-State in that stretch.
?* The Aggies' No. 8 national ranking (NCBWA) is the highest since a No. 7 showing in the same poll on June 4, 2007.
?* A&M played its first game against a ranked opponent on Tuesday at 19th-ranked Houston...the Aggies defeated the Cougars, 13-6, and tallied a season-high 11 2-out RBI.
?* Texas A&M's 10-game win streak is a season best...the previous high was eight (Feb. 24-March 5).
?* The Aggie offense is hitting .367 over the streak with 13 home runs and 92 RBI, and is averaging 9.7 runs per game.
?* Texas A&M has tallied double-figure hits in nine of its last 10 games and 22 of 33 overall.
?* A&M, which ranks second in the Big 12 in fielding, has played error-free ball in nine of its last 15 contests.
?* A&M pitching has fanned eight or more batters in 24 of 33 games.
?* The Aggie bullpen is 11-2 on the year with eight saves and a 2.21 ERA, and is holding opponents to a .226 average.
?* The Aggies are in the midst of a month of April that will see them play play 14 of 18 games at Olsen Field...A&M will not leave the state of Texas until departing for Nebraska on May 8.
?* A&M has won 23 consecutive mid-week games dating back to April, 2006.
?* Of A&M's six losses on the season, five have been by two or fewer runs.
CHILDRESS GETS 100TH WIN
Texas A&M coach Rob Childress recorded his 100th career win, and 100th at A&M, in Tuesday's 13-6 win at No. 19 Houston.
In the midst of his third season in Aggieland, Childress became the second-fastest coach in school history to reach the century mark. He ranks third behind only Mark Johnson and Tom Chandler on the Aggie charts in victories.
SCOUTING TEXAS A&M
Texas A&M is 27-6 overall and in second place in the Big 12 with a 9-3 record. The Aggies enter the weekend on a 10-game win streak, including a perfect 5-0 homestand that wrapped up Sunday with a run-rule victory over Kansas State. Most recently A&M downed 19th-ranked Houston on the road Tuesday by a score of 13-6.
A&M is hitting a league-best .325 and averages 7.9 runs per game. The offense has pounded out 113 extra-base hits (60 doubles, 18 triples and 35 home runs) while stealing 54 bases.
Senior third baseman Dane Carter (.455, 5 HR, 39 RBI) leads the country in hits and ranks at the top of both the team and Big 12 charts in numerous offensive categories. He has hit safely in 31 of the team's 33 games in 2008. Senior Darby Brown (.342, 8 HR, 40 RBI) sports a team season-best 17-game hit streak and leads the squad in homers and RBI. Junior shortstop Jos?© Duran (.384, 2 HR, 30 RBI) is the team's second-leading hitter, while three other starters (Luke Anders, Kyle Colligan and Brian Ruggiano) are hitting over .300 for the year.
On the mound, the Aggies boast a 3.41 ERA, second-best in the Big 12. A&M pitching is averaging 8.7 strikeouts per nine innings and is holding opposing hitters to a .242 average. Freshman Brooks Raley (5-0, 3.07 ERA) leads the team in victories, while sophomore Travis Starling (15 appearances, 4-0, 0.89 ERA) has a team-best seven saves. The Aggie bullpen has been strong on the season, posting an 11-2 record, eight saves, 2.21 ERA and .226 opponent average.
A QUICK GLANCE: OKLAHOMA
Oklahoma (22-10-1, 3-5-1 Big 12) enters the weekend in seventh place in the Big 12 standings after dropping two of three games last week in Norman.
The Sooners hit .309 as a team, fourth-best in the league, with 29 home runs and 203 RBI. OU averages 6.85 runs per game.
Oklahoma is led offensively by senior DH Mike Gosse (.357, 5 HR, 27 RBI), senior outfielder Aljay Davis (.374, 20 RBI) and junior catcher J.T. Wise (.314, 5 HR, 26 RBI). Junior lefty C.J. Blue (6-0, 2.36 ERA), sophomore Andrew Doyle (5-2, 2.63 ERA) and senior reliever Jake McCarter (1-0, 4.05, 9 saves) lead the pitching staff, which sports a 3.64 ERA?-also fourth-best in the Big 12.
Last season's Sooners went 34-24 and finished seventh in the Big 12 at 11-16. Ten letterwinners and six starters return off that team in 2008.
Sunny Golloway is in his fourth season at Oklahoma with a record of 112-62-1. He has amassed 447 career wins in 11 years as a head coach.
A&M/OU CONNECTIONS
?* OU first base coach and former All-Big 12 standout Russell Raley is the brother of A&M freshman Brooks Raley, who will take the mound in Friday night's opener.
?* One Aggie hails from the state of Oklahoma...redshirt sophomore outfielder Keith McInnerney was born in Weatherford and attended Elk City High School.
?* Sooner coach Sunny Golloway made his first NCAA Regional appearance as a head coach at Olsen Field in 1998...Golloway guided Oral Roberts to the NCAA Central Regional in College Station.
SERIES HISTORY
Oklahoma leads the overall series between the schools, 29-26, with each team posting 20 wins since the inception of the Big 12 in 1997.
?* The Sooners have won eight of the last 11 games.
?* OU has won the last four Big 12 series between the schools...A&M's last series win came in 2003 in Norman.
?* The Aggies have won the first game, but lost the series, each of the last four years.
?* Over the last five series, the team that has lost the first game has come back to take the final two.
?* The teams split the first two games last season in Norman before OU won 8-7 in 11 innings in the Sunday finale...boxscores of the 2007 games can be found on page 9.
?* A&M has won six of the 11 Big 12 series between the schools, but has not won a series in College Station since 2002...there has been only one sweep (Oklahoma, 2000 in College Station).
?* Each team has won more Big 12 games on the other's field...A&M is 10-8 at L. Dale Mitchell Park in Norman, while OU is 9-6 at Olsen Field.
?* A&M and OU have played an extra-inning game or had a game decided by one run in every Big 12 series.
?* The Aggies are 3-4 in extra-inning games with the Sooners.
MID-WEEK MAGIC
The Aggie baseball team has won 23 straight mid-week non-conference contests, including the first 11 on the slate in 2008.
A&M won all 10 mid-week games last season and the final two of the 2006 campaign. The Aggies' last loss in mid-week action was on April 18, 2006, a 9-6 setback to No. 19 Houston at Olsen Field.
HOUSTON REVIEW
Texas A&M matched a season-high with 18 hits and drove in all but two of its runs with two outs in a 13-6 win over No. 19 Houston on Tuesday at Cougar Field.
Houston native Scott Migl went a career-long 7.2 innings on the hill, allowing just two earned runs, to pick up his second victory of the year. Brian Ruggiano drove in a career-high four runs, which included a three-run blast in the first inning. In all, six Aggies posted multi-hit games on the night.
K-STATE REVIEW
Texas A&M recorded back-to-back Big 12 sweeps for the first time since 1999 with three victories over Kansas State this past weekend at Olsen Field.
On Friday, A&M got a first-inning grand slam from Darby Brown en route to a 7-2 win over the Wildcats. Freshman Brooks Raley picked up his fifth win of the season after allowing one run in 6 1/3 innings of work.
On Taturday, Texas A&M erased a 7-1 deficit with 12 runs in its final three at-bats as the Aggies rallied for a 13-8 win. After chipping two runs off the Wildcat lead in the bottom of the sixth, A&M exploded for seven runs in the seventh to take the lead and added three more in the eighth to seal the victory. Dane Carter tied a career high with four RBI on the night, including a three-run triple in the decisive seventh.
Sunday saw Luke Anders homer twice en route to a 14-4, eight-inning victory over KSU. Kyle Colligan added a grand slam in the seventh and Brown drove in three on the afternoon.
CARTER's BIG YEAR
Senior third baseman Dane Carter is having a career season for Texas A&M.
While his career-best 16-game hit streak was snapped on March 16 against Texas Tech, Carter responded with a currently active 14-game streak and has hit safely in 31 of the Aggies' 33 contests overall.
He has now reached base safely (hit or walk) in all 33 games of the year.
In addition, he leads the team and the Big 12 in seven offensive categories (average, hits, triples, runs, total bases, on-base percentage and slugging percentage).
CARTER, CONTINUED
After struggling with injury during 2007, Dane Carter has had a tremendous '08 campaign...
dane carter: 2007 vs 2008
CATEGORY 2007 TOTALS 2008 NUMBERS
games played 37 33
games started 19 33
batting average .203 .455
hits 15 60
runs scored 14 38
doubles 2 8
triples 0 7
home runs 1 5
RBI 11 39
slugging pct. .270 .735
TURNING THE CORNER
Senior DH/1B Darby Brown had a tough start to the 2008 campaign, beginning the year 2-for-23 at the plate (.087 average).
With a mammoth home run off the top of the batter's eye in center field against Nicholls State on March 5, Brown has turned the corner in a big way, hitting .386 over the last 21 contests...
brown's turnaround
CATEGORY FIRST 10 GAMES LAST 20 GAMES
batting average .087 .386
hits-at bats 2-for-23 34-for-88
home runs 0 7
RBI 3 35
slugging pct. .174 .693
runs scored 5 16
DURAN STEPS UP
The Aggies knew entering 2008 that they would have to replace all-conference selection and third-round draft pick Brandon Hicks (.338, 10 HR, 59 RBI) at shortstop.
After a strong battle in the offseason, junior transfer Jos?© Duran won the opening-day nod, and has not disappointed. The Fort Worth native is near the top of the A&M offensive charts in nearly every category.
Duran went hitless in the first three games of last week for the first time this year, but responded with back-to-back two-hit games against K-State to close out the series. In fact, not only has he hit safely in 25 of A&M's 33 games this year, Duran has posted multiple hits in 17 of those 25 (68 percent).
LEGGING IT OUT
Texas A&M has hit 18 triples over the first 33 games of the season. A closer look at this accomplishment:
?* The Aggies set a school record in late February with three triples in each of three consecutive games (McNeese State, Ohio State, Arkansas). What makes this feat even more impressive is that the last time a Texas A&M team had three triples in ANY game before last week was on April 11, 1999, when the Aggies defeated Kansas State 7-2 in St. Joseph, Mo.?-a stretch of 519 games.
?* Senior third baseman Dane Carter had two triples in the Feb. 26 win over McNeese State, the first time an Aggie had two triples in one game since Chad Hudson on May 21, 1999 in a 10-3 win over Oklahoma in the Big 12 Tournament in Oklahoma City.
?* Carter has seven triples on the season, just two shy of the single-season school record (9, Brian Thomas, 1993).
TURN, TURN, TURN...TURN
Texas A&M tied a school record with four double plays in the Feb. 27 win over Nicholls State.
While the feat has been accomplished often, the last time the Aggies did turn four double plays in one game was against Clemson in the NCAA Super Regional championship on June 6, 1999 (499 games ago).
A STRONG PEN
The Texas A&M bullpen has been very impressive in the first part of the season.
A total of 14 Aggies have seen action in relief, posting a combined 2.21 ERA and picking up 11 wins and eight saves. In 122 innings of work, opposing teams have managed 100 hits (.226 average) and 30 earned runs while striking out 128 times.
Rutgers put five earned runs up against the Aggie pen in the 7th inning on March 8. Removing that inning from the numbers, A&M's relief corps would sport a 1.85 ERA.
Of the players that have made more than one appearance out of the pen this year, five are holding opponents to an average of .200 or less in those outings.
POUNDING THE ZONE
Texas A&M pitchers have struck out 285 batters while walking 111 in their 296 innings of work thus far, or a 2.6 K/BB ratio. In 2007, A&M's pitching corps posted a 2.1 K/BB mark for the full season.
The Aggie staff, which has fanned eight or more batters in 24 of the 33 games in 2008, is averaging 8.67 strikeouts per nine innings?-second-best in the Big 12.
It's not just one or two arms that are carrying the strikeout load, however. Seven players have posted 24 or more Ks this spring, led by freshmen Barret Loux (40) and Brooks Raley (37), and junior Kyle Thebeau (37).
AGGIE FANS RANK AMONG NATION?â„¢s BEST
Texas A&M and the Olsen Field faithful consistently rank among the nation?â„¢s best in fan support.
Over the past nine seasons, A&M ranks fifth nationally with over 1.455 million fans having passed through the turnstiles.
In addition, the Aggies rank fifth in average attendance (4,785) since 1999.
Texas A&M has finished in the national top five in average attendance seven times since ?'99, and in total attendance six times.
In fact, A&M is one of only four programs (LSU, Alabama, Texas) to draw at least 135,000 fans in each of the last nine seasons.
total attendance leaders (1999-2007)
SCHOOL TOTAL AVERAGE
LSU 2.408 million 7,432
Texas 1.588 million 4,828
Mississippi State 1.564 million 5,469
Alabama 1.540 million 4,857
Texas A&M 1.455 million 4,785
average attendance leaders (1999-2007)
SCHOOL TOTAL AVERAGE
LSU 2.408 million 7,432
Mississippi State 1.564 million 5,469
Alabama 1.540 million 4,857
Texas 1.588 million 4,828
Texas A&M 1.455 million 4,785
30 YEARS OF "OLSEN MAGIC"
The home of Texas A&M baseball, C.E. "Pat" Olsen Field, celebrates its 30th anniversary during the 2008 season.
Olsen Field opened on March 21, 1978, when the Aggies fell 5-2 to Southern California. After losing the first three games ever played at Olsen, the Aggies won 16 straight.
All-time, Texas A&M sports a commanding 835-267-4 (.757) record at the friendly confines. Last season's 34-8 mark was the team's best home record since 1999 and was the sixth most home wins in school history.
most victories at olsen field, single season
SEASON RECORD WIN PCT.
1989 41-4 .911
1993 39-4 .907
1999 37-5 .881
1990 37-6 .860
1988 35-2 .946
2007 34-8 .810
AGGIES ON THE TUBE
No stranger to national exposure, the Texas A&M baseball team will appear on television at least seven times in 2008.
The Aggies have won their first three televised games of the year, all on COX Sports Television.
FOX College Sports, available on digital cable outlets across the country, will broadcast the April 13 series finale with Oklahoma and the May 16 series opener at Texas.
In addition, FOX Sports Net will broadcast the April 27 series finale against Missouri live from Olsen Field and CBS College Sports (formerly CSTV) will air the May 10 game between A&M and Nebraska in Lincoln.
As always, fans can get complete and up-to-date television broadcast information on aggieathletics.com.
2008 texas a&m television schedule
DATE OPPONENT NETWORK
March 1 Arkansas (W, 15-7) COX Sports TV
March 2 Louisiana Tech (W, 7-3) COX Sports TV
March 4 Nicholls State (W, 5-1) COX Sports TV
April 13 Oklahoma FOX College Sports
April 27 Missouri FOX Sports Net
May 10 at Nebraska CBS College Sports
May 16 at Texas FOX College Sports
AGGIES ON THE 'NET
For the sixth straight year, AggieAthletics.com will bring fans around the globe live video of Texas A&M baseball.
Fans will be able to watch, free of charge, all non-televised Aggie home games, along with selected road games, through the new Aggies All-Access.
If live video of an A&M game is not available, free live audio will be provided through All-Access.
The highly-popular Aggies All-Access is in its second season of bringing live game action, television shows, highlights and much more to A&M fans around the world. Aggies All-Access is the most-watched channel on the CSTV.com network.
AGGIES PEGGED FOURTH IN BIG 12 PRESEASON POLL
Texas A&M was picked to finish fourth in the 2008 Big 12 baseball race according to a vote of the league?â„¢s head coaches.
Defending regular-season champion Texas (80 points) was pegged the league favorite for the seventh straight year and received eight of the possible 10 first-place votes. The Longhorns edged out second-place Missouri, which earned 71 points, including one first-place tally. Baylor, who also claimed a first-place vote, was ranked third followed by A&M, Oklahoma State and Nebraska. Filling the remaining spots in the preseason poll were Kansas State, Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas Tech.
2008 big 12 preseason coaches' poll
TEAM (1st) POINTS '07 FINISH
1. Texas (8) 80 1st
2. Missouri (1) 71 2nd
3. Baylor (1) 65 6th
4. Texas A&M 60 5th
5. Oklahoma State 46 3rd
6. Nebraska 36 4th
7. Kansas State 30 8th
Oklahoma 30 7th
9. Kansas 17 9th
10. Texas Tech 15 10th
2008 PHILLIPS 66BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP
Texas A&M will be the defending champion at the 12th-annual Phillips 66 Big 12 Baseball Championship, scheduled for May 21-25 at AT&T Bricktown Ballpark in downtown Oklahoma City.
The eight-team championship will be in a two-division, pool play format for the third straight season in 2008. The winner of each bracket will meet in the championship game, with the victor earning the league's automatic bid into the NCAA Championship.
Oklahoma City and AT&T Bricktown Ballpark will be the host of the event through the 2011 season. For ticket information, contact the Oklahoma Redhawks at (405) 218-1000.
PROMOTIONS
?* The ?Take Me Out to the Ballgame? ticket promotion is in effect for Sunday's game, through which kids 12 and under will receive free admission with a paid adult. There is a limit of four kids per adult and all seats are general admission.
?* Throughout the season, fans can also take advantage of the "Pick Six for $50" ticket special. For more information contact the Athletic Ticket Office at 888-99-AGGIE or online at aggieathletics.com.
?* Kids can run the bases following Sunday's game, courtesy Subway.
PROSTATE CANCER AWARENESS WEEKEND SET FOR APRIL 25-27
Texas A&M Athletics will hold Prostate Cancer Awareness Weekend, presented by the College Station Medical Center and adidas, in conjunction with the April 25, 26 and 27 Missouri series at Olsen Field.
More information about the event will be available soon.