Aggies Survive Late Rally to Down Panthers, 7-5

Tuesday, April 27

College Station

6:35 PM

Texas A&M

23-16-1

Prairie View A&M

11-27

Prairie View A&M

Texas A&M

Apr 27, 2010 | Baseball

Box Score

By: Texas A&M Athletics

April 27, 2010

Final Stats

Rob Childress [mp3]

COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Texas A&M allowed four hits over eight shutout innings and then survived a wild ninth-inning rally by Prairie View A&M to defeat the Panthers, 7-5, Tuesday night before 2,562 fans at Olsen Field.

The Aggies (23-16-1) pounded out 14 hits en route to a seven-run lead entering the final frame, but Prairie View (11-27) got on the board after a walk, hit batter and two throwing errors pushed three runs home. Four straight singles then cut the lead to 7-5 and loaded the bases with no outs, but A&M closer Brodie Greene that turned in to a game-ending double play to preserve the victory.

"We left a lot of runs out there, without question," A&M coach Rob Childress said. "We had some weak outs with runners in scoring position, and obviously that's not what we need to do. They did a great job in the ninth of not going away and getting some big hits. We have to come out tomorrow, get better, have a great practice Thursday in Lincoln and get ready for Nebraska."

Texas A&M took a quick 3-0 lead in the second, taking advantage of three walks. Tyler Naquin drove home the game's first run with a bases-loaded free pass, then a clutch single by Matt Juengel and a Greene sac fly plated the other two runs.

Andrew Collazo hustled out an infield single in the third with two outs to drive in a run, and the Aggies tacked on three more in the fifth. The big blow in that frame was a two-run single by Kevin Gonzalez.

Outside of the ninth, Prairie View's only threat came in the seventh after an infield single and error put runners at second and third with one out. Reliever Shane Minks was able to work out of the jam, however, and keep the Panthers off the board.

Starter Michael Wacha (4-2) was very strong in picking up his fourth win of the season. He allowed only two baserunners, singles in the second and fifth, over six innings of work. Stilson earned his sixth save of the year, giving up three hits in the ninth but recording the final three outs and picking up a punchout.

Prairie View starter Robert Ponce (1-3) was saddled with the loss after allowing three hits, three runs and four walks over two innings.

Offensively, Greene was 3-for-4 to pace the 14-hit attack while Naquin, Juengel and Adam Smith had two hits apiece. Brandon Williams and Even Richard had two hits each for the Panthers.

Texas A&M returns to action on Friday night when the Aggies open a three-game series with Nebraska in Lincoln. First pitch at Haymarket Park is set for 6:35 p.m.

"We've got 16 games left in the regular season before we get to the conference tournament and postseason," Childress said. "We need to get back to playing the type of baseball we played for the first third of the season. Nobody is going to remember how we were in the middle of the season. They're going to remember how we finish."