(#23) Texas A&M 10, Nebraska 1

Saturday, April 18

College Station

6:35 PM

Texas A&M

24-14, 10-7

Nebraska

17-20-1, 4-13

Nebraska

Texas A&M

Apr 18, 2009 | Baseball

Box Score

By: Texas A&M Athletics

April 18, 2009

Post Game Audio:
Head Coach Childress
OF Colligan
RHP Wilson

Final Stats

COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Kyle Colligan hit two home runs and drove in four to lead No. 23 Texas A&M to a 10-1 win over Nebraska Saturday night before 6,433 fans at Olsen Field.

Colligan excited the Parents' Weekend crowd with a solo shot to center in the second that gave the Aggies an early 1-0 lead, and then capped an eight-run sixth with a long three-run home run down the line in left.

With the victory, the Aggies (24-14, 10-7 Big 12) remain the only conference team without a loss at home, having won all seven league games at Olsen this spring. A&M also moved into a second-place tie in the Big 12 standings, one game back of league-leader Texas. Nebraska, meanwhile, fell to 17-20-1 and 4-13.

Colligan's solo blast in the second would be the game's only run until the top of the fifth, as both A&M starter Ross Hales and Husker lefty Jordan Roulades were locked in a pitcher's duel. Jake Mort would tie the game in the frame with a solo shot to left, his third of the season.

The Aggies got the run right back in the fifth. David Alleman led off the inning with a single to center. Brooks Raley would beat out a potential double-play grounder to second, and his 17th RBI of the year would plate Alleman and give A&M a 2-1 lead.

Colligan began the sixth with a base hit to left, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and stole third on the final pitch of an intentional walk to Dylan Petrich. The Huskers went to the bullpen to get closer Mike Nesseth, who threw wide of first on a pickoff attempt right after entering the game. The error made the score 3-1 and moved Petrich to third base.

An RBI single by Caleb Shofner, a two-run double inside the bag at third by Brodie Greene and a seeing-eye single through the left side by Luke Anders would make the score 7-1. Colligan then stepped to the plate and worked the count full before blasting his second home run of the night deep into the parking lot in left.

Alex Wilson, who entered in relief of Hales in the sixth, allowed two Nebraska baserunners the rest of the night to close out the victory and give A&M the series.

The Aggies did not commit an error for the sixth straight game, the best streak of its kind by an A&M team in at least the last 20 years. Besides Colligan's three hits, Alleman had a pair of knocks and scored twice and Greene drove in two.

The Huskers were led offensively by a 3-for-4 effort off the bat of Jeff Tezak and a two-hit night by Tyler Farst.

Hales (4-1) went 5 2/3 innings and allowed five hits and one run on the night. He struck out three and did not walk a batter to earn his fourth win of the year. Wilson tossed the final 3 1/3 innings of the game to pick up the first save of his career. He scattered two hits, did not walk a batter or allow a run, and struck out four.

Roulades (4-4) suffered the loss, giving up four hits and four runs (three earned) over 5 1/3 innings. He walked three and fanned one.

A&M will go for the sweep on Sunday with first pitch set for 1:05 p.m. Sophomore Barret Loux (2-1, 4.78 ERA) will take the mound. Tickets are still available and can be purchased at the gate or online at aggieathletics.com.

POSTGAME NOTES

• Kyle Colligan hit two home runs in a game for the fourth time in his career...the last came in an NCAA Regional game against Houston on June 2, 2008.

• Colligan's two home runs on the night gave him 34 for his career...Colligan is now tied with teammate Luke Anders and Steven Truitt for fifth on the A&M all-time list.

• Brodie Greene matched a career high by extending his hit streak to seven games.

• Brooks Raley has now reached safely (hit or walk) in every game this season (34).

• Game-time temperature was 72 degrees with cloudy skies and winds blowing from right to left at seven miles an hour.

POSTGAME QUOTES

HEAD COACH Alex Wilson. In the sixth inning we put together 10 incredible at-bats in a row, and six of those eight runs were scored with two outs. It was good to see us have an inning like that. I can't say enough about our pitching and defense as well."

(on the team's confidence) "You can see the swagger in this team, and the smiles on their faces and the way they are going about their business. It's a much looser group than it has been in the past and we've got to do a good job of maintaining that. It's been fun the last few days."

(on Kyle Colligan night) "He hit two balls tonight as hard as he's hit one in his career at Texas A&M. I don't know which one he hit harder, but he got both of those."

(on Ross Hales) "He's gone out and controlled the game in both of his Big 12 starts, and a lot of times it's hard to ask a junior or senior to do that. He's done a great job of that by filling up the strike zone with three pitches and getting the leadoff hitter. He's pitching like a veteran and I couldn't be more proud of him."

SENIOR CF Kyle Colligan: (on the cleanup role) "The four-hole brings in a new mindset, one where you have to drive in runners. I really don't have that yet but I'm trying to get that real aggressive mindset going. That's just something I have to get better at. But tonight was a good night for me."

(on his home runs) "The first one was a fastball away, and I was just trying to hit it hard. I didn't expect it to go out really, I was thinking triple. The second one felt really good, but I really thought the ball was going to go foul. As soon as I hit it, it started hooking, so that's why I was kind of walking there."

(on the team's confidence) "I think the confidence might be the same as it was a week ago, but the unity and the swagger of the group is a lot better. We're finally seeing how we can play as a group and what that preseason was all about. It all started with that win at Rice, and honestly that was a win that came pretty naturally to us. We know we can play with anyone and beat the best, and I think that helped us a lot."