June 05, 2008
COLLEGE STATION, Texas- The Big 12 Champion Texas A&M baseball team continues its quest for Omaha this weekend when the Aggies head to Reckling Park to battle Rice in the NCAA Houston Super Regional.
Game one is set for Saturday at 2 p.m. (CDT) and will be televised nationally by ESPNU. Game two will air on ESPN2 on Sunday at 6 p.m., and if a third game is necessary it will be played on Monday at either 11:30 a.m. or 6 p.m.
The winner of the best two-of-three series will earn a trip to the College World Series, which opens June 13 at Rosenblatt Stadium.
The Aggies are coming off the College Station Regional championship, clinched on Monday with a 13-5 win over Houston at Olsen Field. The Owls downed Texas, 7-4, Sunday afternoon to take the Houston Regional title.
A&M, which has claimed back-to-back regional championships for the first time in program history, will be making its fourth trip to the super regional round.
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.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Saturday, 2:07 p.m. CDT
TV: ESPNU (Dave Barnett, play-by-play; Jay Walker, commentary)
RADIO: WTAW-AM 1620 (Dave South, play-by-play; Scott Clendenin/Chuck Glenewinkel, commentary)
Sunday, 6:07 p.m. CDT
TV: ESPNU (Dave Barnett, play-by-play; Jay Walker, commentary)
RADIO: WTAW-AM 1620 (Dave South, play-by-play; Scott Clendenin/Chuck Glenewinkel, commentary)
Monday, 11:37 a.m. CDT or 6:07 p.m. CDT
TV: ESPN (if 11:30 first pitch), ESPN2 (if 6:00 first pitch) (Dave Barnett, play-by-play; Jay Walker, commentary)
RADIO: WTAW-AM 1620 (Dave South, play-by-play; Scott Clendenin/Chuck Glenewinkel, commentary)
LEADING OFF...
?* Texas A&M has won its third Big 12 championship and fourth Big 12 title overall?...along with ’08, A&M captured regular-season crowns in both 1998 and 1999, along with the postseason tournament championship in 2007.
?* The conference championship is the Aggies’ 21st overall and 18th of the regular-season variety?...A&M won 15 Southwest Conference crowns and two SWC tourney titles.
?* At 42-14, the Aggies posted their best regular-season record since 1999 (44-12)?...A&M was 41-15 at the end of the regular season in both 2003 and 2007.
?* The 19 Big 12 wins tied for the most ever by an A&M team since the league adopted the 27-game format in 2002?...the ’03 Aggies also finished the year at 19-8?...the 19 wins are also tied for third most in school history behind the 1999 (23-6) and 1998 (21-9) squads.
?* Texas A&M set a new school and league record with 16 consecutive Big 12 wins (March 28-May 9).
?* A&M swept five consecutive conference series (Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Baylor, Missouri) for the first time in school history.
?* A&M became the 17th team in school history to win 40 games in a season, and the fastest to do so in NCAA Division I baseball in ’08.
?* At 40-8, the 2008 Aggies became the fourth-fastest to reach 40 victories in school history (48 games), trailing the 1989 (41), 1993 (46) and 1988 (46) squads.
?* A&M is 12-8 away from home this year, which included the school's first 10-game road win streak since 1989.
?* The 2008 squad became just the sixth in school history to reach the 80-home run mark (currently 81)...the '08 Aggies also became the seventh in program history to score 500 or more runs in a campaign (currently 504) and the sixth to drive in 450 (currently 465).
?* A&M pitching has fanned eight or more batters in 36 of 63 games.
?* The Aggie bullpen is 21-7 on the year with 13 saves and a 3.53 ERA, and is holding opponents to a .248 average.
?* The Aggies have played in front of two stadium-record crowds in 2008?-April 29 at TCU's Lupton Stadium (4,294) and May 6 at Sam Houston's Don Sanders Stadium (1,812).
?* A&M has won 26 of its last 28 mid-week contests...an April 15 loss to Rice snapped a string of 23 consecutive mid-week victories dating back to April, 2006.
?* A&M is 6-4 against ranked opponents in 2008.
?* Of A&M's 17 losses on the season, 12 have been by three runs or less and seven by two or fewer runs.
CHART CHASERS
?* Dane Carter (9 3B) needs one triple to set the school's single-season record...he is currently tied with Brian Thomas (1993) for the most all-time in one season.
?* Jose Duran (102 hits) needs six hits to become the school's all-time single-season leader...Duran is currently tied with teammate Blake Stouffer (102 in 2007) for the third most in school history.
?* Kyle Thebeau (31) needs one appearance to tie Hart Hering (2006) for the most in one season.
?* Travis Starling (nine saves) needs one more save to become the fourth player in school history to record 10 saves in one year...Scott Beerer (13 in 2003) holds the school record.
?* With two RBI, Darby Brown (68) will tie Chad Alexander (70 in 1995) for 10th most all-time in a single season...the school record is 105 by Daylan Holt in 1999.
?* Luke Anders (16 HR) needs one home run to tie for seventh-most in a single season in A&M history...the school record is 34 by Daylan Holt in 1999.
?* Texas A&M needs two triples to tie the school's single-season record of 32, set in 1982 and matched again in 1989.
TEXAS A&M IN NCAA SUPER REGIONAL PLAY
The Aggies are making their 24th all-time appearance in NCAA play in 2008, and their fourth in an NCAA Super Regional since the format was instituted in 1999.
?* A&M sports an overall NCAA record of 54-50.
?* Since the inception of the "Super Regional" round in 1999, the Aggies have advanced to it four times (1999, 2004, 2007, 2008)...A&M is 2-5 all-time in super regional games.
?* In 19 regional apperances, A&M is 43-33 overall and has advanced to the championship game 14 times.
?* A&M has claimed five regional championships (1993, 1999, 2004, 2007, 2008).
?* Texas A&M has reached the College World Series four times (1951, 1964, 1993, 1999).
?* For Texas A&M's NCAA Tournament history, including stats and boxscores from all super regional games, please visit Section D of this guide.
a&m's ncaa super regional history
YEAR, OPPONENT SCORES
1999, Clemson W 20-3 / L 3-10 / W 5-4
2004, at LSU L 8-11 / L 0-4
2007, at Rice L 2-3 (10) / L 2-5
SCOUTING TEXAS A&M
Texas A&M, the Big 12 regular-season champion, enters the NCAA Houston Super Regional looking to reach Omaha for the first time since 1999. The Aggies feature an overall record of 46-17 and finished the conference race atop the standings at 19-8.
A&M is hitting .315 on the year and averages 8.0 runs per game. The offense has pounded out 229 extra-base hits (118 2B, 30 3B and 81 HR) while stealing 87 bases.
Junior shortstop Jos?© Duran (.382, 6 HR, 67 RBI), the Big 12 Player of the Year, has hit safely in 30 of his last 33 games and leads the squad in hits and batting average. Senior third baseman Dane Carter (.379, 8 HR, 60 RBI) has tied a school record with nine triples on the year. Junior first baseman Luke Anders (.344, 16 HR, 56 RBI) leads the team in home runs, while senior Darby Brown (.338, 12 HR, 68 RBI) leads the squad in RBI. Two other starters (Kyle Colligan and Brian Ruggiano) are hitting over .315 for the year.
On the mound, the Aggies boast a Big 12-best 3.95 ERA. A&M pitching is averaging 7.84 strikeouts per nine innings and is holding opposing hitters to a .256 average. Junior Kyle Thebeau (6-4, 3 saves) leads the team and the league with a 1.95 ERA, while sophomore Travis Starling (17 appearances, 8-1, 3.55 ERA) leads the squad in victories and has a team-best nine saves. Weekend starters Brooks Raley, Barret Loux and Clayton Ehlert have combined for a 19-6 record and 4.05 ERA. The Aggie bullpen has been strong on the season, posting a 21-7 record, 13 saves, 3.53 ERA and .248 opponent average.
SERIES HISTORY
Texas A&M leads Rice, 175-89-2, in a series that dates back to 1914. The Owls are the third most common opponent in Aggie baseball history.
?* Rice took an 11-2 win over the Aggies on April 15 of this year at Olsen Field...the two teams also met in last season's NCAA Houston Super Regional, with Rice taking both games to earn a trip to the College World Series.
?* A&M and Rice met twice prior in 2007, with the Aggies winning both times?-the first in the Houston College Classic at Minute Maid Park, and the second coming in 10 innings at Reckling Park.
?* The Owls have won eight of the last 11.
?* The Aggies have dropped the last five meetings between the schools in College Station...A&M's last win over Rice at Olsen Field was 10 years ago on April 14, 1998, where the Aggies trailed 9-0 entering the bottom of the sixth inning but rallied to defeat the Owls, 10-9.
?* Of the last 16 meetings between the schools, 12 have been in the city of Houston...either at Rice's Reckling Park or at the home of the Houston Astros, Minute Maid Park, as part of the Houston College Classic.
?* With the exception of 1973, the teams have met every year since 1936.
?* A complete series history is available on page A7.
most common opponents, all-time
SCHOOL GAMES
Texas 350
Baylor 304
Rice 266
TCU 247
Houston 160
SMU 154
Texas Tech 138
Sam Houston State 120
Southwestern 74
Texas-Pan American 71
REGIONAL REVIEW
Texas A&M claimed its second consecutive NCAA College Station Regional title on Monday when the Aggies defeated Houston, 13-5, at Olsen Field. A&M scored 53 runs (13.3 per game) and pounded out 48 (12 per game) hits on the weekend, while the pitching staff posted a 2.78 ERA and held opposing batters to a .221 average.
?* FRIDAY (A&M 15, UIC 1): Luke Anders went 4-for-4 and tied a school record with five runs scored on the night to pace the offensive attack, while Darby Brown drove in four runs and Blake Stouffer and Brodie Greene picked up three RBI each....In his first-ever regional outing, true freshman Brooks Raley scattered five hits and allowed one earned run in eight innings of work to pick up his team-leading seventh win of the year... The Aggies would blow the game open with 12 runs in the middle innings.
?* SATURDAY (A&M 22, Houston 4): Texas A&M set a school record with six home runs and scored its most runs in an NCAA game since 1989...The decisive frame was the top of the seventh, one into which the Aggies carried a 9-4 lead. They promptly sent 17 batters to the plate and tied a school postseason record by scoring 12 times to make the score 21-4...Kyle Colligan set the tone for the night on the second pitch of the game, belting a 1-0 offering from starter John Touchton off the batter’s eye in center field...A&M freshman starter Barret Loux was outstanding, retiring 10 of the final 11 batters he faced. Loux (6-2) went six complete and allowed the only four hits the Cougars would get on the night.
?* SUNDAY (Houston 4, A&M 3): Jake Stewart punched a two-out RBI single up the middle in the bottom of the ninth to lift Houston to the victory and force a second championship game...On the mound, Cougar freshman Jared Ray (4-2) picked up the complete-game victory...A&M shortstop Jose Duran picked up his 100th hit of the year during the game, becoming only the fourth player in school history to accomplish that feat.
?* MONDAY (A&M 13, Houston 5): Kyle Colligan homered twice and Darby Brown drove in four runs to lead A&M to the NCAA College Station Regional title...the Aggies would get all the offense they would need in the first two frames. Following a long leadoff home run by Colligan in the bottom of the first, the Aggies would score seven times in the second to open up an 8-2 lead...All four of Brown's RBI came in the second inning...Scott Migl did not factor in the decision but gave A&M a strong start, lasting four innings and giving up six hits and a pair of earned runs.
?* Seven Aggies were named to the All-Tournament Team, with Colligan picking up most outstanding player honors.
?* Complete regional statistics, results and boxscores can be found in Section D of this guide.
college station regional all-tourney team
NAME AWARD
1B Luke Anders, Texas A&M & Jimmy Cesario, Houston
2B Ryan Lormand, Houston
3B Dane Carter, Texas A&M
SS Jos?© Duran, Texas A&M
OF Kyle Colligan, Texas A&M (most outstanding player)
OF Jake Carr, UIC
OF Brian Ruggiano, Texas A&M
C Chris Wallace, Houston
DH Darby Brown, Texas A&M
P Jared Ray, Houston
P Brooks Raley, Texas A&M
DEUCES ARE WILD
Texas A&M set or matched several school records in the Aggies' 22-4 win over Houston at Olsen Field on Saturday...
?* A&M’s 22-run output marked the most scored by an Aggie team since a 25-6 win at Texas on April 30, 1995?...it was the most runs scored by A&M in an NCAA tournament game since a 25-6 win over BYU on May 26, 1989.
?* Saturday marked the fourth time in school history that A&M scored 20 runs in an NCAA game (25-4 vs BYU, 5/26/89?...23-3 vs Jackson State, 5/25/89?...20-3 vs Clemson, 6/5/99).
?* Texas A&M’s six home runs set a new school record in an NCAA Tournament game?...it was also one shy of the overall school record (set in 1978 against Baylor and equaled on April 25, 1998 at Kansas).
?* The Aggies matched a school NCAA tourney game record with 12 runs in the seventh inning?...A&M put up 12 runs in the fifth inning of a win over Jackson State on May 25, 1989.
?* The 12-run seventh marked the second most ever scored by a team in an NCAA tournament game?...LSU put up 18 runs in a frame against Georgia Tech on May 26, 1996.
TITLE TALK
?* Texas A&M's Big 12 regular-season championship was the third for the Aggie baseball program...only Texas (four) has won more regular-season titles than the Aggies...Nebraska has also claimed three.
?* Including the 2007 Big 12 postseason title, A&M has won four league crowns since the formation of the conference in 1997.
?* The Aggies finished the year at 19-8, one game ahead of second-place Oklahoma State. En route to the championship, A&M swept five straight opponents (Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Baylor, Missouri), while taking the series from Texas Tech. The Aggies dropped conference match-ups with OSU, Nebraska and Texas.
?* A&M's amazing 16-game conference win streak set a new league record, while besting the school's previous high streak (12, set in 1971 and 1974) by four games.
?* Texas A&M joined Nebraska (2001) and Texas (2002 and 2006) as the only schools to win both the baseball and softball Big 12 regular-season championships in the same year.
?* In total, Texas A&M has set a new school record by claiming eight Big 12 championships during the 2007-08 academic year...the previous high was seven during the 2006-07 season.
A&M's 2007-08 big 12 championships
Women's Soccer Softball
Women's Swimming & Diving Softball (postseason)
Women's Indoor T&F Women's Outdoor T&F
Women's Basketball (postseason) Baseball
?* The Aggies have claimed 15 trophies in the last two seasons...of the 38 overall trophies since the inception of the Big 12, 24 have come under the direction of Director of Athletics Bill Byrne (hired Dec. 2002).
A&M's big 12 championships, year-by-year
1996-97: none 2002-03: two
1997-98: six 2003-04: one
1998-99: three 2004-05: three
1999-00: one 2005-06: three
2000-01: three 2006-07: seven
2001-02: one 2007-08: eight
AGGIES RACK UP BIG 12 HONORS
The Big 12 Champion Texas A&M baseball team placed 12 on the annual All-Big 12 squads, while claiming the player, newcomer and coach of the year awards.
In just his third season, Aggie skipper Rob Childress was named Big 12 Coach of the Year. After engineering the biggest turnaround in NCAA Division I baseball and claiming the Big 12 postseason title last year, Childress led the 2008 A&M team to and its first regular-season crown in nine years.
Through a vote of the league’s head coaches, junior Jose Duran was named both the Big 12 Player of the Year and the conference’s Newcomer of the Year.
Duran, along with senior Dane Carter, juniors Luke Anders and Kyle Colligan, and sophomore Travis Starling, were named to the All-Big 12 First Team. Senior Darby Brown and junior Brian Ruggiano were tabbed second-team All-Big 12, while five more Aggies (Clayton Ehlert, Barret Loux, Brooks Raley, Blake Stouffer, Kyle Thebeau) were named honorable mention All-Big 12.
?* Jose Duran became the second Aggie to be honored as Big 12 Player of the Year?...Jason Tyner was named Big 12 Co-Player of the Year in 1998.
?* Rob Childress’ Big 12 Coach of the Year award was the third for Texas A&M baseball?...Mark Johnson was named the league’s Coach of the Year in 1998 and 1999.
?* Jose Duran became the second player in league history to claim both the Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year awards in the same season, joining Tyler Mach of Oklahoma State (2006).
?* A&M’s seven combined selections on the first and second teams ties a school record?...the Aggies also totaled seven in 1998 (five first team, two second team).
?* A&M’s five first-team selections ties the 1998 squad for most by an Aggie team in Big 12 history.
?* Luke Anders became the first Aggie to be named to back-to-back first teams since Casey Fossum in 1998 and 1999?...Anders also became the 52nd player in school history to be a two-time honoree.
2008 all-big 12 honors
NAME AWARD
Rob Childress Coach of the Year
Jos?© Duran Player of the Year
Jos?© Duran Newcomer of the Year
Luke Anders First Team All-Big 12
Dane Carter First Team All-Big 12
Kyle Colligan First Team All-Big 12
Jos?© Duran First Team All-Big 12
Travis Starling First Team All-Big 12
Darby Brown Second Team All-Big 12
Brian Ruggiano Second Team All-Big 12
Clayton Ehlert Honorable Mention All-Big 12
Barret Loux Honorable Mention All-Big 12
Brooks Raley Honorable Mention All-Big 12
Blake Stouffer Honorable Mention All-Big 12
Kyle Thebeau Honorable Mention All-Big 12
OFFENSE RANKS AMONG A&M'S BEST
The 2008 Aggie baseball team has established itself as one of the best offensive teams in school history...
most home runs, single season
HOME RUNS GAMES YEAR
1. 128 70 1999
2. 88 67 1995
88 65 1989
4. 86 66 1998
5. 81 63 2008
?* The '08 Aggies are the sixth team in school history to reach the 80 home run mark.
most runs scored, single season
RUNS GAMES YEAR
1. 635 65 1989
2. 591 70 1999
3. 529 67 1987
4. 526 67 1995
5. 504 63 2008
?* The '08 Aggies are the seventh team in school history to reach the 500-run plateau.
most RBI, single season
RBI GAMES YEAR
1. 580 65 1989
2. 548 70 1999
3. 471 67 1987
4. 469 67 1995
5. 465 63 2008
?* The '08 Aggies are the sixth team in school history to drive in 450 runs.
most triples, single season
3B GAMES YEAR
1. 32 65 1989
32 53 1982
4. 31 67 1995
5. 30 63 2008
?* The '08 Aggies are the fourth team in school history with 30 triples.
most hits, single season
H GAMES YEAR
1. 804 70 1999
2. 753 65 1989
3. 718 66 1998
718 67 2007
5. 717 67 1995
6. 709 67 1987
7. 697 63 2008
?* With three hits, the '08 Aggies would become the seventh team in school history to compile 700 hits.
HISTORIC BIG 12 WIN STREAK
Texas A&M won 16 consecutive conference games for the first time in school history. This season's string began with a 13-6 win over Kansas on March 28 and ended following a 6-3, 16-inning victory at Nebraska on May 9.
longest big 12 win streaks, A&M history
YEAR GAMES SPAN
1. 2008 16 Mar 28-May 9
2. 1997 9 Mar 29-Apr 18
3. 1999 7 Mar 28-Apr 11
1998 7 Apr 18-May 2
5. 2003 6 Apr 5-18
1999 6 Feb 26-Mar 7
16 STRAIGHT LEAGUE WINS SETS NEW SCHOOL, Big 12 RECORD
Texas A&M's 16-game Big 12 win streak, which stretched from March 28-May 9, set not only the program's all-time record for consecutive conference victories, but became the new Big 12 standard.
A&M's 15-0 shutout of Missouri on April 26 gave the Aggies 14 Big 12 wins in a row, eclipsing the previous league record of 13 straight victories set by the 2000 Nebraska squad.
Until an 11-inning win over Baylor on April 20, it had been 34 years since an Aggie baseball team and rattled off a dozen straight wins in league play...
longest conference win streaks, A&M history
GAMES YEAR
1. 16 2008
2. 12 1974
12 1971
Some notes on A&M's 16-game Big 12 win streak:
?* The Aggies hit .341 with 25 home runs and 145 RBI, averaging 9.7 runs per game and fielding at a .979 clip.
?* The pitching staff posted a 4.14 ERA and held opponents to 4.6 runs per game.
?* A&M scored 10 or more runs in nine of the 16 games.
?* Six of the 15 were decided by two runs or less, with four going into extra innings.
?* Ten of the games were been played at Olsen.
?* Nine of the wins were of the come-from-behind variety.
?* Included in the streak were the Aggies' first-ever sweep of Oklahoma, first Big 12 sweep of Baylor and first three-game Big 12 sweep of Missouri.
THE COMEBACK KIDS
Texas A&M has provided fans some memorable comebacks in the 2008 season. While the 13-12, 11-inning win at Baylor on April 20?-in which the Aggies scored six runs with one out in the ninth to tie the game?-will stand out, there have been several other clutch rallies...
memorable comebacks, 2008 season
OPPONENT (DATE) DEFICIT POINT IN GAME FINAL SCORE
N Colorado (Feb 22) 5-2 bot 4th W, 9-5
Ohio St (Feb 29) 5-1 bot 5th W, 8-5
at UTSA (Mar 25) 3-0 top 5th W, 5-4
at Kansas (Mar 29) 6-3 top 8th W, 9-6 (10)
at Kansas (Mar 30) 8-6 top 8th W, 10-8
K-State (Apr 5) 7-1 bot 6th W, 13-8
Baylor (Apr 20) 12-6 top 9th W, 13-12 (11)
Missouri (Apr 25) 8-1 bot 6th W, 9-8
Dallas Baptist (May 3) 4-1 bot 6th W, 5-4
Of Texas A&M's 46 victories this season, 24 are of the come-from-behind variety.
Texas A&M trailed at some point in 11 of its 19 Big 12 wins in '08.
DELIVERING WHEN IT COUNTS
The 2008 Aggie baseball team made a strong case as one of the best Big 12 hitting teams in school history...
most home runs, big 12 single season
HOME RUNS GAMES YEAR
1. 56 29 1999
2. 49 30 1998
3. 35 27 2008
35 30 1997
5. 33 26 2007
most runs batted in, big 12 single season
RBI GAMES YEAR
1. 210 29 1999
2. 206 30 1998
3. 201 27 2008
4. 200 30 1997
highest batting average, big 12 single season
AVG GAMES YEAR
1. .331 30 1997
2. .314 29 1999
3. .306 27 2008
4. .303 27 2003
most runs scored, big 12 single season
RUNS GAMES YEAR
1. 227 29 1999
2. 222 30 1998
3. 218 30 1997
4. 216 27 2008
runs per game, big 12 single season
RPG GAMES YEAR
1. 8.00 27 2008
2. 7.83 29 1999
3. 7.40 30 1998
4. 7.27 30 1997
24 IN A ROW
Shortstop Jose Duran compiled a team-high 24-game hit streak from April 5-May 16, which was the third-longest in school history...
longest hit streaks, school history
No. Gms Player Year
1. 28 R.J. Englert 1972
2. 26 Kirk Thompson 1989
3. 24 Jos?© Duran 2008
4. 22 Rich Petru 1996
22 Scott Livingstone 1988
6. 21 Ben Feltner 2007
Duran also hit safely in 15 straight Big 12 games, becoming only the fifth player in program history (seventh overall including SWC) to accomplish that feat.
longest hit streaks, school history(league games only)
No. Gms Player Year
1. 20 Steven Truitt 1997
2. 18 Cliff Pennington? 2003-04
3. 16 Eric Scheidt^ 2003-04
16 Robert Bonner 1976
16 R.J. Englert 1972
6. 15 Jos?© Duran 2008
15 Jason Tyner 1998
? final 16 Big 12 games of '03 and first two of '04
^ final 15 Big 12 games of '03 and first of '04
HOT BATS
The Texas A&M offense has produced seven hit streaks of 10 games or longer this season. Listed below are the streaks and the player's batting average, home run total and RBI count over the span of the streak...
longest hit streaks, 2008 season
NAME GAMES DATES AVG/HR/RBI
Jos?© Duran 24 Apr 5-May 16 .422/3/34
Blake Stouffer 19 Mar 28-Apr 26 .338/3/12
Darby Brown 17 Mar 14-Apr 8 .438/6/32
Dane Carter 16 Mar 18-Apr 12 .439/1/24
Dane Carter 16 Feb 23-Mar 15 .485/4/18
Jos?© Duran 11 Mar 14-Mar 30 .449/0/9
Kyle Colligan 10 Mar 25-Apr 8 .452/1/8
HURTS SO GOOD
When Brodie Greene was hit by a pitch leading off the fifth inning of the May 9 game at Nebraska, it set the new A&M single-season record for hit batsmen with 76. Now with 98 on the year, the Aggies have shattered the school's single-season hit-by-pitch record?-set last year.
most hit batsmen, single season
HBP YEAR
1. 98 2008
2. 75 2007
3. 62 2003
4. 55 2002
5. 52 2000
Not surprisingly, three Aggies rank in the top six of the all-time single-season chart...
most times hit by pitch, single season
No. HBP Player Year
1. 21 Luke Anders 2008
2. 20 Justin Pouk 2003
3. 18 Darby Brown 2008
4. 15 Travis Wong 2002
5. 13 Kyle Colligan 2008
12 Luke Anders 2007
CARTER's BIG YEAR
Senior third baseman Dane Carter is having a career season for Texas A&M.
The Graham, Texas native has a pair of 16-game hit streaks in 2008 and has hit safely in 51 of the Aggies' 63 contests overall. Carter has reached safely (hit or walk) in all but four games (April 13 vs Oklahoma, April 27 vs Missouri, April 29 at TCU, May 16 at Texas), and drove in a run in all but one of those contests.
WHAT CAN BROWN DO FOR YOU?
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 .369 since...
brown's turnaround
CATEGORY FIRST 10 GAMES SINCE (53 GAMES)
batting average .087 .367
hits-at bats 2-for-23 73-for-199
home runs 0 12
RBI 3 65
slugging pct. .174 .618
runs scored 5 37
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 and took home the Big 12's Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year honors.
Not only has he hit safely in 52 of A&M's 63 games this year, Duran has posted multiple hits in 34 of those 52 (65 percent).
LEGGING IT OUT
Texas A&M has totaled 30 triples over 63 games this season. A closer look at this accomplishment:
?* The Aggies eclipsed last season's triples total (20) on April 12...with eight triples in Big 12 play, A&M bested the 2007 total of three.
?* Texas A&M is two shy of tying the school's single season record of 32, set in 1982 and matched in 1989.
?* 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 nine triples on the season, which ties the single-season school record (9, Brian Thomas, 1993)...junior SS Jos?© Duran sits just two back with seven triples in '08.
A STRONG PEN
The Texas A&M bullpen has been impressive in 2008.
A total of 14 Aggies have seen action in relief, posting a combined 3.53 ERA and picking up 21 wins and 13 saves. In 237 innings of work, opposing teams have managed 222 hits (.248 average) and 93 earned runs while striking out 231 times.
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 496 batters while walking 201 in their 569 innings of work thus far, or a 2.5 K/BB ratio. In 2007, A&M's pitching corps posted a 2.1 K/BB mark for the full season.
This season's staff became just the 17th in school history to strike out 400 or more batters in one year and has currently racked up the seventh most strikeouts in by a pitching corps in school history.
Aggie pitchers, who have fanned eight or more batters in 36 of the 63 games in 2008, are averaging 7.84 strikeouts per nine innings.
It's not just one or two arms that are carrying the strikeout load, however. Five players have posted 40 or more Ks this spring, led by freshmen Barret Loux (80) and junior Kyle Thebeau (76).
most strikeouts, single season
K GAMES YEAR
1. 536 70 1999
2. 536 67 1991
3. 531 64 1993
4. 522 66 1998
5. 508 67 1988
6. 504 67 2007
7. 496 63 2008
8. 495 66 2004
9. 483 61 1997
10. 471 64 2003
2008 FAN SUPPORT RANKS NEAR THE TOP
Over 175,000 fans poured through the Olsen Field gates in 2008 to rank as the third highest single-season total in school history. Where the '08 fans rank in the Texas A&M all-time record book:
single-season total attendance records
TOTAL YEAR DATES AVG
1. 195,440 1999 42 4,653
2. 187,367 2004 36 5,205
3. 176,723 2008 42 4,207
4. 170,720 2003 35 4,878
5. 169,619 2002 33 5,140
6. 163,841 2007 42 3,900
7. 158,831 2005 27 5,882
8. 147,400 2001 33 4,467