May 4, 2009
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Winners of 10 of its last 12 games, the 14th-ranked Texas A&M baseball team returns to the diamond Tuesday when the Aggies (31-16) host Sam Houston State (29-19) at Olsen Field. First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m.
A&M is coming off an impressive 3-1 week that included a walk-off win over No. 15 TCU last Tuesday and a series victory over a surging Dallas Baptist squad. Over the last 12 games, the Aggies have hit .340, fielded at a .980 clip and averaged eight runs per game. The pitching staff has compiled a 3.28 ERA while holding opposing hitters to a .241 average. A&M sits in third place in the Big 12 race, one game back of league-leader Texas--against whom the Aggies open a series on Friday in College Station.
The Bearkats snapped a six-game losing skid on Saturday with a 9-2 win in the final game of a series at Stephen F. Austin. Sam Houston sits in fifth place in the Southland Conference standings with a 15-12 league record. SHSU enters the game with a .330 batting average and has totaled 36 home runs, 339 RBIs and 47 stolen bases on the year. The mound corps has a 5.49 ERA and opponents are hitting .302 against Bearkat pitching.
Junior Clayton Ehlert (3-0, 6.32 ERA) will take the mound Tuesday for the Aggies and will face sophomore lefty Daniel Nottebart (1-0, 3.45).
A&M leads the all-time series with Sam Houston, 82-36-2, and is unbeaten in the last 14 meetings (the teams tied in 2005). The Aggies downed the Bearkats, 13-9, last year in Huntsville.
Tuesday's game also marks the return of Sam Houston head coach Mark Johnson to Olsen for the first time since he was the Aggies' head coach in 2005. Johnson is the winningest coach in A&M history, with an all-time record of 876-431-3 in 21 seasons. He led the Aggies to five conference championships, 13 NCAA tournaments and two College World Series berths.
"Coach Johnson is a living legend, both in college baseball and here at Texas A&M, and I'm honored to have him back," A&M coach Rob Childress said. "We had a great game last year with them that came down to the last inning. I know Sam Houston has been playing well, and it ought to be a great night Tuesday. I hope we have a lot of fans come out and show their support and appreciation for him. I can't wait to have him back."
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 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.
Following Tuesday, the Aggies have just two regular-season home games remaining and will return to action Friday at 6:35 p.m. in the opener of the State Farm Lone Star Showdown against No. 8 Texas at Olsen Field.