Aggies Fall to Northwestern State, 4-2

Tuesday, March 23

College Station

6:35 PM

Texas A&M

15-5

Northwestern State

15-4

Northwestern State

Texas A&M

Mar 23, 2010 | Baseball

Box Score

By: Texas A&M Athletics

March 23, 2010

Final Stats

Rob Childress [mp3]

COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Northwestern State hit two early home runs and held on for a 4-2 win over No. 21 Texas A&M Tuesday evening before 2,785 fans at Olsen Field.

The Demons (15-4) built a quick three-run lead after three at-bats and rode the arm of senior Ryan Zimmerman through seven innings. The Aggies (15-5) rallied in their final at-bat but NSU closer Chad Sheppard induced a game-ending double play with the tying run at the plate to seal the outcome.

"It was a very disappointing night," A&M coach Rob Childress said. "On the mound, all four runs we gave up were with two outs and when Michael (Wacha) made a mistake, Northwestern State made him pay. Offensively we didn't do a lot tonight, and that's very disappointing. Give their pitcher credit and give their team credit."

Northwestern State's bats built the Demons that early lead off A&M starter Michael Wacha.

Justin Martinez led off the second with a solo home run off the scoreboard in left center field to put the Demons on the board. In the next inning, Tyler Baisley followed a two-out double by Chase Lyles with a long home run down the left field line to bump NSU's lead to three.

Joe Patterson got a run back for the Aggies in the fourth with his third home run of the year, an opposite-field shot to left that made the score 3-1.

The Demons answered right back, however, as Lyles touched Wacha for a two-out RBI single in the fifth.

A great defensive play in the eighth by Texas A&M preserved the chance at a comeback. NSU shortstop Trent Grondin led off the frame with a first-pitch drive off reliever Jake Feckley deep over the head of Aggie center fielder Brodie Greene, who relayed to Caleb Shofner. The A&M third baseman scooped the throw and applied the tag on Grondin, cutting down the potential triple for the inning's first out. Feckley and John Stilson then combined to get out of the eighth unscathed.

With one out in the ninth, Greene belted a 2-1 pitch deep over the fence in left and into Aggie Alley. The solo shot--his third of the season--pulled the Aggies within two and extended the senior's career-best hit streak to 16 games. Joe Patterson followed with an 0-2 single to center to bring the tying run to the plate, but a hard ground ball off the bat of Shofner was turned into a double play to end the game.

Wacha (3-1) tossed a season-high seven innings, allowing nine hits and four runs while striking out five. He did not walk a batter. Feckley and Stilson combined to allow three hits and fan three over two shutout innings of relief.

Zimmerman (2-1) lasted seven complete to earn the win, giving up one run on five hits. He walked one and struck out nine. Sheppard earned his seventh save of the season and became his school's all time leader in the category by allowing a run over the final two innings of the game.

The Aggies were held to seven hits, matching their season low, while Demon pitchers fanned 12 hitters on the night. Patterson led the way with a 2-for-4 evening.

"I felt like our hitters were coming out of their approach and were a little too anxious," Childress said. "That's something that we haven't done all year long and we did that tonight."

Five NSU hitters had at least two hits, with Lyles' 3-for-4, two-double effort pacing the Demon attack.

Texas A&M returns to action and to the Big 12 Friday when the Aggies host the Missouri Tigers at Olsen Field in the first of a three-game set. First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m.

"There's no doubt we need to bounce back on Friday," Childress said. "We are at home and we need to get off to a fast start. Missouri always plays extremely hard and with a chip on their shoulder. We'll have our hands full this weekend, but we will be ready to go Friday night. That's for sure."

NOTES: Joe Patterson ran their hit streak to nine games ... Patterson has now hit safely in all but one game this year and reached safely (hit, walk or HBP) in 34 straight games dating back to last season ... The Aggie pitching staff registered its 200th strikeout of the season in just its 20th contest of the year with Michael Wacha's punchout of Eric DeBlanc in the seventh ... A&M averages 10.2 strikeouts per nine innings and is on pace to fan 572 over a 56-game regular season, which would be a school record ... the Aggies matched their season low with seven hits on the night and struck out a season-high 12 times ... game time temperature was 73 degrees with clear skies and winds blowing out to center at 21 miles per hour (gusting to 28).