Smith's Blast Lifts No. 5 Aggies over Texas Tech, 5-4

Saturday, April 9

Lubbock, Texas

5:00 PM

Texas A&M

23-8, 8-3

Texas Tech

20-12, 5-6

Texas A&M

Texas Tech

Apr 09, 2011 | Baseball

Box Score

By: Texas A&M Athletics

April 9, 2011

#5 Texas A&M 5, Texas Tech 4
April 9, 2011 • Dan Law Field • Lubbock, Texas

Boxscore/Play-by-Play

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Texas A&M (23-8)	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	3	0	5	9	1
Texas Tech (20-12)	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	2	0	4	4	3

Pitching	IP	H	R/ER	BB	SO
WP: Brandon Parrent (1-2)	0.1	0	1/0	3	5
LP: Zach Fowler (1-1)	0.2	0	1/0	1	0
SV: Joaquin Hinojosa (8)	1.2	0	0/0	0	0

A&M Batting	AB	H	R	RBI	HR
Adam Smith	4	2	1	3	1
Krey Bratsen	4	2	1	0	0

LUBBOCK, Texas - Junior third baseman Adam Smith's three-run home run in the top of the eighth broke a 2-2 tie and proved to be the decisive blow in the No. 5 Texas A&M baseball team's 5-4 victory over Texas Tech Saturday at Dan Law Field.

The win vaulted the Aggies (23-8, 8-3 Big 12) back into a first place tie in the Big 12 standings with Texas, while Texas Tech fell to 20-12 this season, including a 5-6 mark in league play.

Just as they had during the series opener one night earlier, the Aggies scored during their first turn at bat to take a 1-0 lead on a RBI single by junior designated hitter Matt Juengel. Freshman Krey Bratsen notched a one-out single in the frame and stole second to move into scoring position. Two batters later, Juengel collected his third RBI of the series with a sharp single into center field.

The Aggies got a second run to take a 2-0 lead in the top of the third as freshman outfielder Jace Statum singled and came around to score when Tech turned a bases-loaded, no-out double play.

An RBI single by Red Raider first baseman Stephen Hagen got Texas Tech on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth inning and cut the visitor's lead down to 2-1.

Tech was able to tie the game at 2-2 with a run-scoring single off the bat of third baseman Reid Redman in the seventh.

The base knock signaled the end of the night for Aggie starter Michael Wacha, who got a no-decision in the contest after throwing 113 pitches in 6.2 innings of work. The right-hander from Texarkana, Texas, struck out five and walked three while allowing two runs on four hits during his seventh quality start of the season.

Replacing Wacha on the mound, sophomore lefty Brandon Parrent (1-2) got the Aggies out of the seventh without allowing Tech to take the lead.

Junior first baseman Jacob House led off the top of the eighth and reached base on a Tech error. House was followed two at bats later as senior shortstop Kenny Jackson drew a one-out walk to put the go-ahead run in scoring position.

However, after a fielder's choice resulted in the second out of the inning, Tech reliever Brennan Stewart was poised to get out of the frame unscathed after getting ahead of Smith in the count 0-2. Unfortunately for the Red Raiders, Stewart's next pitch was a breaking ball that drifted over the heart of the plate and Smith drove the offering high over the wall in left for his second long ball of the season.

The Red Raiders quickly responded with a rally in the home half of the inning as they plated a pair of runs off a trio of Aggie relievers to close the gap to 5-4.

Senior Joaquin Hinojosa got the Aggies out of the frame without relinquishing the lead on his way to recording the game's final five outs to lock down his eighth save of the season

The series continues Sunday as the Aggies look to win their fourth straight Big 12 series when they send junior right-handed pitcher Ross Stripling (5-2, 2.47) to the mound to face Texas Tech lefty Robbie Kilcrease (3-1, 5.22). First pitch is slated for 1 p.m.