March 3, 2009
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Post Game Audio [mp3]:
Head Coach Childress
P Starling
P Ehlert
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Clayton Ehlert struck out a career-high nine over seven innings of work and Travis Starling picked up his third save of the year, a five-out effort, as No. 4 Texas A&M held on for a 2-1 win over Stephen F. Austin Tuesday night before 3,530 fans at Olsen Field.
Ehlert, who scattered five hits and walked only one on the night, was lifted to start the eighth as the Aggies (7-2) held a one-run lead. Starling entered the game four batters later, with the bases loaded and one out. The junior fanned Joe Staley on a full-count offering, then struck out Justin Long on three pitches to end the threat.
Starling quickly got the first two outs of the ninth, but the `Jacks (3-5) then loaded the bases to threaten once again. The final batter of the game, Bo Coffman, lined out to center fielder Kyle Colligan to end the game.
Ehlert's win was his first of '09, while Starling picked up the 14th save of his career, moving him into third place all-time on the Aggie career charts.
A&M again came from behind to earn the win, as SFA designated hitter Sean Meyers gave his team the initial lead with a solo home run on the first pitch of his at bat in the fourth.
Aggie second baseman Brodie Greene tied the game in the sixth with a leadoff home run over the scoreboard in left center field, his first of the year. The next batter, right fielder Brooks Raley, drew a five-pitch walk and then promptly stole second. Two outs later, designated hitter Brett Parsons pulled a double just inside the bag at first and down the right field line, plating Raley with the go-ahead run and giving the Aggies a 2-1 lead.
Dylan Petrich led the Aggie offense with a 3-for-4 night, while Colligan, Greene and catcher Joe Patterson each had two-hit nights. Meyers and Zach Gardner had two hits apiece for SFA.
Lumberjack starter Ryan Priest suffered the loss, going 6 2/3 innings and giving up two runs (both earned) on 10 hits. He walked one and struck out three and fell to 0-2 on the year.
The series concludes on Wednesday with first pitch set for 3:05 p.m. The Aggies will send true freshman Ross Hales (2-0, 1.04 ERA) to the mound to face SFA sophomore Jared West (0-0, 189.00). Fans can listen locally to the game on WTAW-AM 1620, and free live video of the contest will also be available online at aggieathletics.com.
Tickets are available at the gate or online at aggieathletics.com. Children 12 and under will be admitted free with a paid adult (limit four kids per adult) for both games as part of the Take Me Out to the Ballgame ticket promotion. Gates open 90 minutes prior to first pitch.
POSTGAME NOTES
• Travis Starling (14 saves) moved into third place on the Aggies' all-time career saves chart, trailing only Scott Centala (23) and Chris Russ (16), who is a graduate assistant on this spring's A&M baseball squad.
• Clayton Ehlert previous career-high in strikeouts was seven last season against Centenary (March 12, 2008)...his seven innings of work also matched a career high (April 13 vs Oklahoma).
• Sophomore Brett Parsons picked up his first hit as an Aggie, an RBI double down the right field line in the sixth inning.
• True freshman Scott Arthur made the first start of his career, getting the nod at third base.
• Texas A&M leads the all-time series with SFA, 17-0.
• Gametime temperature was 66 degrees with scattered clouds and winds blowing out to center at 15 miles per hour.
POSTGAME QUOTES
HEAD COACH Clayton Ehlert and our defense. We played great defense, and Clayton had as good a start as you can have. If you take one pitch away, I thought he was perfect. It was incredible. All four pitches were working."
(on the Aggie offense) "Our offense is going to get clicking. We did it all fall and we've done it all spring. We're 8-2 and haven't hit our stride yet offensively, and we're going to. It's just a matter of time. We got a few guys hot tonight, we had a guy come off the bench tonight (Brett Parsons) that hadn't played in two weeks and he got the big RBI for us. Joe Patterson strung some good at bats together. Scott Arthur didn't have a hit to show for it but he hit two balls hard tonight. I was proud of those guys being ready to play."
(on Travis Starling) "I didn't want to bring him in in the eighth, I wanted to get through with Hank (Robertson) and Esty (Uriegas), and weren't able to do that. But to me, really, the save was in the eighth. Starling went out and created another save opportunity for himself in the ninth. Getting those two strikeouts (in the eighth) was huge."
JUNIOR Clayton Ehlert: (on his effort tonight) "It feels good. I'm not usually a big strikeout guy but it's a good feeling. It was great (to be in a rhythm). I just try to get out there and throw strikes, produce ground balls, and get our team back in the dugout to hit as quickly as possible."
(on whether or not he had the SFA lineup off-balance) "I think so. They had a lot of lefties in the lineup, and a lot of free-swingers. I had the change-up working pretty good and was working both sides of the plate as much as possible."
JUNIOR Brodie Greene: (on the home run) "I got a pitch out over the plate and put a good swing on it. Mother Nature helped me out a bit too."
JUNIOR Travis Starling: (on the eighth-inning strikeouts) "He told me on the mound that he needed a pop out or a strikeout, and I told him I would do what I can. My knuckle curve was working well in the eighth, and I basically threw that every time. It happened to work and it got it done."
(on the bases-loaded situation) "I need to do a better job of not putting people on freely...two walks at the (Houston College) Classic and two walks tonight. That just can't happen from your relief pitchers, and I'm disappointed in myself in that. I need to work on that. But Sunday Adam (Smith) made a great play, and tonight K.C. (Kyle Colligan) made a great catch behind me, and that's what you have teammates for. They definitely did their job tonight."