Texas A&M
25-14, 11-7
Nebraska
17-21-1, 4-14
(#23) Texas A&M 10, Nebraska 1
Apr 19, 2009 | Baseball
April 19, 2009
Thebeau, making his first start since the beginning of the 2008 season, was dominant in his return to the rotation. The senior scattered four hits and allowed the Huskers just one run, while retiring the final 12 batters he faced on the afternoon in order to pick up his second win of the '09 campaign.
Patterson's career day, meanwhile, headlined a 15-hit attack by the Aggie offense that saw every starter record at least one hit.
The victory gave A&M (25-14, 11-7 Big 12) its first sweep over Nebraska since 1999, and kept the Aggies perfect at home in league play at 8-0. The Huskers fell to 17-21-1 and 4-14. For the weekend, A&M scored 28 runs, out-hit NU, .354 to .160, and posted a 1.33 ERA in holding Nebraska to a total of four runs.
Texas A&M would stake itself to a quick lead with a five-spot in the second off Nebraska starter Casey Hauptman.
Singles by Joe Patterson to lead off the inning, followed by a walk to Caleb Shofner, loaded the bases for left fielder David Alleman. The redshirt freshman delivered with a double into right center field that scored a pair and gave A&M a 2-0 lead.
One out later, a Brodie Greene grounder was misplayed by a charging Ben Kline at short, allowing Shofner to score the game's third run and Greene to take second on the play. Brooks Raley would drop a great sacrifice bunt to the right side of the mound that scored Alleman. Greene never stopped on the play, rounding third and scoring underneath the throw of the first baseman to tack on two more runs and bump the lead to 5-0.
A two-out single in the third off the bat of Adam Bailey brought Cory Burleson home from third and put the Huskers on the board.
The Aggies would answer back in the fourth, batting around and scoring five more runs to blow the game open.
Luke Anders got the rally going. Stepping to the plate with one out and the bases loaded, Anders laced a single to left center that plated Greene and Adam Smith. Later in the frame, with two outs and the sacks full, Patterson brought Raley and Anders home with a two-run single to right field that made the score 9-1. Shofner would drive home the Aggies' 10th run with an opposite-field single to right.
Besides Patterson's game-high four hits, Greene, Anders and Shofner recorded two hits apiece, while Raley, Anders, Patterson and Alleman each drove in two runs.
Thebeau (2-1) went seven complete, scattering four hits and allowing one run. He fanned four and did not walk a batter in his longest outing since the end of the 2007 season. Estevan Uriegas sat down the final six hitters of the game in relief.
Hauptman (2-4) suffered the loss, giving up eight hits and seven runs (six earned) in 3 1/3 innings. He walked one and struck out two.
Texas A&M continues its 13-game homestand on Wednesday when the Aggies host Prairie View A&M at 6:35 p.m. at Olsen Field. Tickets can be purchased online at aggieathletics.com, in person at the Athletic Ticket Office or by phone at 888-99-AGGIE. A&M then hosts Oklahoma State in "Prostate Cancer Awareness Weekend" at Olsen, with that series kicking off Friday night.
POSTGAME NOTES
• Texas A&M has played error-free ball for seven straight games, the longest streak of its kind in records dating back to 1985...the Aggies are fielding at a .975 clip for the season and a .987 mark in Big 12 play.
• The Aggies hit .360 and posted a 1.75 ERA in a 4-0 week that included the sweep of Nebraska and a win at No. 1 Rice.
• Kyle Thebeau made his first start since Feb. 23, 2008 against Northern Colorado...he had made his previous 45 appearances in relief...the start was the 20th of his career.
• Thebeau fanned four batters on the afternoon to bring his career total to 232, and move him into seventh place on the A&M all-time strikeout chart.
• Joe Patterson became the sixth Aggie player this season to record four hits in a game.
• Brooks Raley has now reached safely (hit or walk) in every game he's batted in this year (36).
• Brodie Greene extended his hit streak to a career-high eight games with his leadoff double in the first...David Alleman has now hit safely in five straight games.
• The Aggies are now 7-1 this year in Sunday games.
• A&M now leads the all-time series with Nebraska, 22-21...this weekend marked the third time the Aggies have swept the Huskers in league play, and the first time since 1999...A&M has now won eight Big 12 series against NU while dropping five.
• Game-time temperature was 70 degrees with clear skies and winds blowing in from left-center at 18 miles per hour.
POSTGAME QUOTES
HEAD COACH Kyle Thebeau did. His performance, his toughness and his perseverance is everything we're about as a program. I couldn't be more proud of that guy.
(on the week) "There were a lot of heroes this week. The team ought to be proud of themselves and the way they bounced back after last Saturday's heartbreaking loss in Manhattan. To have the week that we had I'm very proud of us."
(on the team's confidence) "This was an important week for us, especially after last weekend and with what we've done on the road, that we take care of business. Tuesday (win at Rice) was huge from an RPI standpoint and I think it may have been even bigger from a confidence standpoint. You can see a swagger and a confidence in our guys' faces in the way they competed all week."
(on Joe Patterson) "It's kind of like David Alleman. He got the opportunity to get in the lineup and he won't let us take him out. Patty definitely got an opportunity today and made the most of it."
(on the team's pitching and defense) "We didn't give them anything. The last two days we didn't walk anybody. And we obviously couldn't be playing better defense. As we're not giving them anything on the mound, we're sure not giving them anything defensively. We made some incredible plays defensively not only today but this entire weekend."
SENIOR P Kyle Thebeau: "My slider was getting over the zone today and I was able to get my changeup in there too. I felt pretty good with my fastball and I was locating it. I think it was a big outing for me, to get back on the horse and get after it. Wherever they need me to pitch is where I'll pitch, and that's how I've always been."
JUNIOR DH Joe Patterson: "I was just trying to keep hitting the ball hard like I have been and see what happens. I'm seeing the ball alright, what got me going was getting the hit on the hit-and-run, that gave me some confidence and got me going."
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Thebeau, Kyle (2-1)
L: Hauptman, Casey (2-4)
Batting:
2B: Asche, Cody 1 ; Burleson, Cory 1
RBI: Bailey, Adam 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Burleson, Cory 1
HBP: Mort, Jake 1
Batting:
2B: Greene, Brodie 1 ; Alleman, David 1
RBI: Greene, Brodie 1 ; Raley, Brooks 2 ; Anders, Luke 2 ; Patterson, Joe 2 ; Shofner, Caleb 1 ; Alleman, David 2
SH: Raley, Brooks 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Greene, Brodie 2 ; Raley, Brooks 1 ; Anders, Luke 1 ; Colligan, Kyle 1 ; Gonzalez, Kevin 1 ; Patterson, Joe 1 ; Shofner, Caleb 1 ; Alleman, David 1 ; Smith, Adam 1
