April 29, 2009
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - The 15th-ranked Texas A&M baseball team looks to build on a three-game win streak when the surging Aggies (29-15) host a red-hot Dallas Baptist (31-11) team in a weekend series at Olsen Field.
Games are scheduled for 6:35 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, while Saturday's series finale is the annual "Military Appreciation Day" and will start at 2:05 p.m.
A&M is coming off a thrilling 10-inning, 4-3 win over No. 15 TCU on Tuesday at Olsen Field. The Aggies, who have won eight of their last nine, have just six regular-season home games remaining and sit in first place in the Big 12 standings entering the weekend. A&M is hitting .294 on the year with 57 home runs, 274 RBIs and 59 stolen bases, while averaging 6.9 runs per game. The pitching staff ranks third nationally in strikeouts (435), 14th in hits allowed per nine innings (8.6) and 25th in ERA (4.16).
The Patriots have won nine in a row, including a 6-2 win at Sam Houston State on Tuesday. DBU, an independent team that claimed an NCAA Regional berth last year, features one of the nation's most prolific offenses. DBU ranks fifth nationally in runs per game (9.8), and seventh in average (.353) and home runs (82). The Patriot pitching staff features a 5.17 ERA and a .296 opponent batting average.
Texas A&M leads the all-time series with DBU, 19-5. The Aggies dropped last year's series opener before bouncing back to take the final two games. All 24 meetings between the schools have taken place at Olsen Field.
Tickets for all three games 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) on Thursday as part of the Take Me Out to the Ballgame ticket promotion. Gates open 90 minutes prior to first pitch for all home games. Fans can listen to all the action on WTAW-AM 1620. Free live video will be available on aggieathletics.com, and fans around the world can also listen free of charge at radioaggieland.com.
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
THURSDAY: #30 Brooks Raley (So., LHP, 7-1, 1.92) vs. #28 Victor Black (Jr., RHP, 6-2, 3.11)
FRIDAY: #28 Ross Hales (Fr., LHP, 4-1, 3.54) vs. #35 Ryan Millard (Jr., LHP, 5-2, 4.84)
SATURDAY: TBA vs. #33 Chris McMullen (Sr., LHP, 6-2, 5.40)