PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
FRIDAY (MARCH 29) - 6:35 p.m.
Texas A&M - #38 Michael Wacha (Jr., RHP, 4-0, 2.25)
Missouri - #8 Rob Zastryzny (So., LHP, 2-1, 3.93)
SATURDAY (MARCH 30) - 2:05 p.m.
Texas A&M - #36 Ross Stripling (Sr., RHP, 4-0, 2.56)
Missouri - #25 Blake Holovach (Jr., LHP, 4-0, 1.97)
SUNDAY (April 1) - 1:05 p.m.
Texas A&M - #55 Rafael Pineda (R-So., RHP, 4-0, 1.89)
Missouri - #20 Jeff Emens (Sr., RHP, 2-0, 1.95)
FOLLOWING THE ACTION
• RADIO - Fans can listen locally on WTAW-AM 1620 ... Dave South (play-by-play) along with selected commentators will call the action ... pregame show begins 30 minutes prior to first pitch.
• INTERNET - aggieathletics.com will offer live play-by-play and statistics ... fans can watch the game free of charge on aggieathletics.com.
• MOBILE PHONE - listen to the game on your iPhone, Blackberry or PDA free of charge ... log on to radioaggieland.com for more information.
MISSOURI SEASON STATS
TEXAS A&M SEASON STATS
TEXAS A&M/MISSOURI SERIES NOTABLES
Texas A&M holds a 42-30-1 advantage in the all-time series with the Tigers, which has been a tightly contested one since the formation of the Big 12. The two schools are 24-24 against one another since becoming league foes in 1997.
The Aggies have won three of the last five series against Missouri including the last two series meetings in College Station. A year ago, the Tigers two took of three games at Taylor Stadium in Columbia, Mo., before the Aggies defeated MU 10-9 with a walk-off home run in the 10th inning of Big 12 Championship title game.
Senior Matt Juengel enjoyed facing the Tigers a year ago, batting .533 (8-for-15) in four games against them during the 2011 campaign.
UP NEXT
The Aggies will host UTSA on Tuesday during a 6:25 p.m. contest on Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park before welcoming Oklahoma to College Station for a three-game series that begins on Thursday night. Thursday's game of the OU series will be televised by Cox Sports TV before ESPNU televises the series finale on Saturday.
UPCOMING PROMOTIONS
• FRIDAY ... Free Giveaway Friday - The first 250 fans will receive Ring Pops in celebration of Aggie Ring Day.
• SATURDAY ... Have A Catch - Fans are invited to play catch on the Field for 30 minutes after the game ... Diamond Darling Poster giveaway.
• SUNDAY ... Sunday Rundday - presented by the Junior Aggie Club and the "Pool Guy" - Kids are invited to run the bases following the game.
NOTES AND NOTABLES
• The Aggies enter the weekend leading the Big 12 in both batting (.315 team average) and pitching (2.74 team ERA) for the entire season. Additionally, Texas A&M leads the league and ranks fifth nationally with 68 stolen bases as a team.
• In addition to being named Big 12 Pitcher of the Week on Monday, Texas A&M junior Michael Wacha was also named College Baseball Madness' National Pitcher of the Week. The Texarkana, native turned in one of the best outing of his three-year Aggie career during his last start at Pepperdine, taking a perfect game into the eighth inning before ending with a two-hit complete game-shutout.
• Saturday's scheduled starting pitcher, Ross Stripling, enters this weekend with 25 career wins, placing him in a tie for seventh all-time at Texas A&M with James "Hoot" Gibson (1975-76). Up next is former A&M great Clint Thomas who won 26 games for the Aggies from 1973-76. Teammate Michael Wacha is just outside of the program's all-time top 10 list, with 22 career victories.
• Junior right fielder Tyler Naquin, last year's Big 12 Player of the Year and nationally leader in hits with 104, is among the top hitters in the country again this season and enters the weekend leading the Big 12 with a .421 batting average and 40 hits.
• Texas A&M starting pitching has been dominant all season long as Aggie starters have compiled a 13-1 record with a 2.66 ERA but the stat that turned heads last week was four consecutive complete games. Senior Ross Stripling and Rafael Pineda went the distance to help the Aggies earn a series win over Kansas State during their Big 12 opening series before Michael Wacha opened the Pepperdine series with a two-hit complete shutout and Stripling followed with his sixth career complete game. It's the first time in the modern era that Texas A&M has had four consecutive complete games, topping three straight games, a feat that was accomplished as recently as 1990 when it occurred three times.
• This weekend will also be a special one for a quartet of A&M student-athletes as Scott Arthur, Denny Clement, Matt Juengel and Michael Wacha are scheduled to receive their Aggies ring during a pre-game ceremony on Friday.