March 26, 2009
Kansas Game Notes
COLLEGE STATION, Texas -
The 11th-ranked Texas A&M baseball team (15-9, 3-3) continues its homestand this weekend when the Aggies host Big 12 leader Kansas (15-7, 3-0) at Olsen Field.
Friday's opener is set for 6:35 p.m., with games scheduled for Saturday at 2:05 p.m. and Sunday at 12:05 p.m.
A&M enters the weekend on a two-game win streak, including a 6-5 victory at Missouri Sunday and an 11-8 win over UT Arlington Tuesday at Olsen. The Aggies' game against Northwestern State, scheduled for Wednesday, was cancelled due to rain.
The Jayhawks have won five straight, including an impressive three-game sweep of No. 1 Texas last weekend in Lawrence. KU also took a pair from Western Illinois this week at Hoglund Ballpark before hitting the road for College Station.
The series should spotlight two of the league's best pitching staffs, as Kansas ranks second in the Big 12 in ERA while the Aggies rank fourth.
Fans can listen to all the action on WTAW-AM 1620. All games can also be heard free of charge worldwide on radioaggieland.com. Free live video of the games is available on aggieathletics.com.
#11 TEXAS A&M AGGIES (15-9, 3-3) vs KANSAS JAYHAWKS (15-7, 3-0)
Friday, March 27 • 6:35 PM
Saturday, March 28 • 2:05 PM
Sunday, March 29 • 12:05 PM
Olsen Field (7,053) • College Station, Texas
Television: None
Radio: WTAW-AM 1620
Free Live Video: aggieathletics.com
Gametracker: aggieathletics.com
Free Live Audio: radioaggieland.com
PROBABLE STARTING PITCHERS
FRIDAY: #30 Brooks Raley (So., LHP, 4-0, 2.18) vs #19 Shaeffer Hall (Jr., LHP, 2-1, 2.16)
SATURDAY: #18 Alex Wilson (Jr., RHP, 2-3, 3.41) vs #39 T.J. Walz (So., RHP, 2-0, 3.28)
SUNDAY: #50 Barret Loux (So., RHP, 0-0, 5.04) vs #28 Lee Ridenhour (Fr., RHP, 3-1, 1.82)
SNAPSHOT: TEXAS A&M
`09 Record: 15-9, 3-3 Big 12 (T-3rd)
Streak: Won 2
Last 5/10: 2-3/4-6
Rankings: #15 (BB Am), #11 (rivals), #14 (USAT), #13 (NCBWA)
Up Next: UTSA (H-Tue)
Head Coach: Rob Childress, 4th year
   at A&M: 134-77-1 (.634)
   Overall: 134-77-1 (.634)
   vs Kansas: 5-4
On the Web: aggieathletics.com
SNAPSHOT: KANSAS
`09 Record: 15-7, 3-0 Big 12 (1st)
Streak: Won 5
Last 5/10: 5-0/6-4
Rankings: RV (USAT), RV (NCBWA)
Up Next: Northern Colo. (H-Tue, Wed)
Head Coach: Ritch Price, 9th year
   at Kansas: 220-176-1 (.555)
   Overall D1: 437-404-2 (.520)
   vs A&M: 6-12
On the Web: kuathletics.com
WEEKEND PROMOTIONS
•   FRIDAY: sponsored by Smoothie King.
•   SATURDAY: sponsored by Smoothie King...Party at the Park (opens 12:30 p.m., inflatables, wiffle ball games, and more).
•   SUNDAY: sponsored by Smoothie King...kids 12 and under free with paid adult, limit four (Take Me Out to the Ballgame)...kids run the bases after the game, thanks to Schlotsky's...Junior Aggie Club Ice Cream social following the game.
TICKET INFORMATION
Reserved seats are $11, while general admission tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for youth. Aggie students with a valid ID that do not have the all-sports option can get in for $4. Gates open 90 minutes prior to first pitch.
Season tickets and special ticket packages are currently on sale. For more information, contact the Athletic Ticket Office at 888-99-AGGIE or by logging on to aggieathletics.com.
PARKING INFORMATION
Lots immediately surrounding Olsen Field (100i, 100j, 100k) are reserved for season ticket and pass holders only.
General parking is available in the southern lots of Reed Arena (100e, 100g) or in the West Campus garage. For much more detailed information, maps and more, visit Transportation Services online at transport.tamu.edu.
TEAM NOTES
•   The next victory for Texas A&M will be the 2,300th in program history and will make the Aggies the 17th college baseball team all-time to reach the milestone.
•   Texas A&M is hitting .281 as a team with 30 home runs, 148 RBIs and 40 stolen bases, and is averaging 6.8 runs per game.
•   The Aggie offense has totaled nine or more hits in 15 of its 24 games, and is 14-1 in those contests.
•   A&M ranks second in the Big 12 in stolen bases, third in home runs and fifth in runs scored.
•   The Aggie pitching staff sports a 4.25 ERA, fourth-best in the Big 12, and has held opposing hitters to a .252 average. A&M pitchers have fanned a league-best 238 batters in 214 innings and sport a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 3.4, also best in the conference.
•   While leading the league in strikeouts and K/BB ratio, A&M also ranks third in opponent batting average.
•   A&M's weekend rotation of Brooks Raley, Alex Wilson and Barret Loux are a combined 6-3 with a 3.41 ERA...the trio has combined to strike out 118 in just 89.2 innings and is holding opposing hitters to a .206 average.
•   Aggie pitching has struck out eight or more batters in 21 of 24 games in `09, and 10 or more in 14...the season high is 17 in a win over Wright State on Feb. 21.
•   Texas A&M has scored 50 of its 164 runs this season (or 30 percent) in the sixth inning.
•   The Aggies have come from behind in 11 of their 15 wins this year.
•   Since the start of the 2007 season, A&M is 80-22 (.784) at Olsen Field...the Aggies are also 29-8 (.784) in that time in mid-week contests (Tuesday and Wednesday games).
•   Player notes can be found on page 6.
MORE ON KANSAS
Kansas (15-7) enters the weekend as winners of five straight and atop the Big 12 with a perfect 3-0 record.
The Jayhawks hit .289 as a team with 14 home runs, 127 RBIs and 18 stolen bases, and average 6.5 runs per game. The pitching staff sports a 3.20 ERA, second-best in the league, and a .228 opponent batting average.
Ritch Price is in his seventh season as the head coach in Lawrence. For more information on Kansas baseball, visit kuathletics.com.
SERIES HISTORY
•   Texas A&M leads the all-time series with the Jayhawks, 40-14, and has won four straight.
•   The Aggies swept last year's series in Lawrence, rallying to win both the Saturday and Sunday games in the final inning.
•   A&M's 13-6 victory in the series opener last year in Lawrence began its record 16-game Big 12 win streak.
•   10 of the last 18 meetings have been decided by either two runs or less, or have gone extra innings.
•   A Kansas series sweep in Lawrence in 2006 marks KU's only series victory over Texas A&M in 12 tries as member of the Big 12.
• A&M won the first 11 meetings between the schools in Big 12 play (1997-00).
• Texas A&M is 25-4 in Big 12 play against Kansas when the Aggies score five or more runs.
• Kansas is the only current member of the Big 12 that Texas A&M has faced in the College World Series...the Aggies opened their trip in 1993 with a 5-1 victory.
A&M vs KANSAS: Last Five Meetings
   DATE   SITE                    RESULT
   3/17/07   College Station (11 inn)      L   13   17
   3/18/07   College Station   W      10   9
   3/28/08   Lawrence   W      13   6
   3/29/08   Lawrence (10 inn)   W      9   6
   3/30/08   Lawrence   W      10   9
• Series Record   A&M leads, 40-14
• A&M Streak   Won 4
• in College Station*   A&M leads, 24-6
• in Lawrence*   A&M leads, 12-6
• neutral sites*   A&M leads, 3-2
* since 1971
BIG 12 ERA (1997-present)
• overall   A&M leads, 28-8
• in College Station   A&M leads, 15-3
• in Lawrence   A&M leads, 13-5
• at Big 12 Tourney   never met
A&M vs KU, in BIG 12 SERIES
• overall   Won 11, Lost 1
• in College Station   Won 6, Lost 0
• in Lawrence   Won 4, Lost 1
• A&M Streak   Won 2
For the complete A&M/Kansas series history, visit page 158 of the 2009 Aggie Baseball official guide.
UP NEXT
Texas A&M hosts two-time defending Southland Conference champion UTSA Tuesday night at 6:35 p.m. before returning to Big 12 play at Texas Tech on April 3.
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