COLLEGE STATION, Texas - The Aggies are looking to continue their perfect start. The Maroon and White are off to a 7-0 start, the best since 2006 when A&M started the year 10-0. The Aggies will be sending a pair of freshmen to the mound with Turner Larkins starting on Tuesday against Houston Baptist and BRIGHAM HILL starting Wednesday vs Incarnate Word. Texas A&M hopes to keep the engine churning as they have averaged 10.9 runs per game and they've reached the teens in the run column three times in 2014. A year ago, A&M scored 13 or more runs just four times in 62 contests.
#23 TEXAS A&M AGGIES (7-0) vs. HOUSTON BAPTIST (5-2)/INCARNATE WORD (4-4)*
* - Incarnate Word plays UTSA on Tuesday night
Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park (6,100) • College Station, Texas
SCHEDULE – Tuesday - 4:35 pm • Wednesday - 6:35 pm
RADIO – Sports Radio 1150 The Zone • Dave South (play-by-play)
LIVE VIDEO – SEC Network+ (WatchESPN credentials required through cable provider) • Will Johnson (play-by-play), Mark Johnson (color analyst)
LIVE AUDIO – 12thMan.com • radioaggieland.com (free)
LIVE STATS – 12thMan.com/tamustats.com (mobile devices)
RANKINGS – Texas A&M - 23rd (USAT), 14th (D1B), 19th (NCBWA), 19th (CB); HBU & UIW - unranked
SERIES HISTORY – Texas A&M leads HBU, 6-0; First meeting vs Incarnate Word
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
• TUESDAY: #23 Turner Larkins (Fr., RHP, 1-0, 1.23) vs #10 Curtis Jones (Sr., RHP, 0-0, 2.57)
• WEDNESDAY: #15 Brigham Hill (Fr., RHP, 0-0, 6.75) vs #27 Cody Richey (So., RHP, 0-1, 4.91)
FOLLOWING THE ACTION|
• RADIO — Fans can listen to all games locally on SportsRadio 1150 The Zone... Dave South (play-by-play) and selected commentators will call the action... pregame show begins 30 minutes prior to first pitch.
• INTERNET — 12thMan.com will offer live play-by-play and statistics for all home games... fans with cable providers offering access to SEC Network+ can watch all non-televised home games via the WatchESPN App using their cable provider access code.
• MOBILE PHONE — listen to the game on your iPhone, Blackberry or PDA free of charge ... log on to RadioAggieland.com for more information.
TEXAS A&M/HOUSTON BAPTIST SERIES NOTABLES
The Aggies are 6-0 all-time against Houston Baptist. Last season, A&M won 5-1 with Tyler Stubblefield earning the win, allowing just one unearned run, scattering three hits and two walks while striking out nine over 6.1 innings. The victory was propelled by a four-run second inning by A&M with RBI singles by JB MOSS and HUNTER MELTON. In 2013, Texas A&M needed a two-run ninth inning to beat the Huskies, 6-5. A bases-loaded walk by Jace Statum tied the game and Krey Bratsen earned the walk-off win with a walk.
MORE ON HOUSTON BAPTIST
The Huskies are off to a 5-2 start on the season, starting the year with a three-game sweep of Prairie View A&M and splitting their next four games. In midweek action, Houston Baptist lost a 5-2 decision to Rice. The Huskies traveled to a tournament at UT Arlington last weekend, sandwich wins over Michigan State (3-1) and UT Arlington (2-1) around a 10-4 loss to Southeastern Louisiana.
Austin Saenz leads the Houston Baptist offense, batting .435 (10-for-23) with four runs, one double and three RBI. Zach Nehrir is hitting .391 (9-for-23) with five runs, one double, two triples and eight RBI. Louie Payetta is clubbing .379 (11-for-29) with six runs, three doubles and six RBI.
Tuesday's probable starter Curtis Jones was solid in last week's start at Rice, allowing two runs on six hits and two walks while striking out four over 7.0 innings of work. Jones was named to the NCBWA Preseason All-America Second Team as a utility player. In 2014, he batted .361 with five doubles and 22 RBI and on the mound, he went 4-5 with a 3.64 ERA in 13 starts.
This marks Houston Baptist's second season in the Southland Conference. In their inaugural campaign, the Huskies were 23-28 and finished 10th in the Southland Conference with a 12-18 mark.
TEXAS A&M/INCARNATE WORD SERIES NOTABLES
This marks the first-ever meeting between the squads.
MORE ON INCARNATE WORD
UIW is off to a 4-4 start on the season. The Cardinals have wins against Northeastern (6-1), Prairie View A&M (14-4), Northwestern (8-1) and Villanova (7-3). Incarnate Word has two losses to both Northeastern and Notre Dame.
Matt Morris leads the squad with a .429 (12-for-18) batting average with eight runs, three doubles, two home runs and six RBI. Ethan McGill is hitting .345 (10-for-29) with four doubles and three RBI.
Incarnate Word is in their second year of Division I baseball and action in the Southland Conference. Last year, the Cardinals finished 18-32 overall with a 9-15 mark in conference play.
The Cardinals are coached by former major leaguer Danny Heep, who enjoyed a 13-year MLB career, winning World Series with the New York Mets in 1986 and the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1988. On July 25, 1985, Heep earned infamy as Nolan Ryan's 4,000th strikeout victim.
On the Division II level, the Cardinals advanced to the NCAA Championship on four occasions, including 2004, 2006, 2010 and 2011. They won Heartland Conference titles in 2004 and 2006.
Incarnate Word has had seven MLB draftees, but have not had a player make the show.
NOTES AND NOTABLES
• Head coach Rob Childress enters his 10th season at the helm of the Texas A&M baseball program, beginning the year with a 366-208-2 record. Last season, he led the Aggies to the postseason to extend their school-record streak to eight consecutive seasons.
• Texas A&M welcomes back 22 letterwinners, including five players who started more than 50 percent of A&M's games in the field last season. The Aggies also return 11 players who started at least 15 games, from last season's 36-26 team that advanced to the NCAA Championship. The Aggies return All-SEC Second Team performer in Nick Banks (OF).
• The Aggies enter the week ranked in the Top 25 in four of the five major college baseball polls, earning the No. 19 ranking both the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association poll and Collegiate Baseball ranking, the No. 23 spot in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches preseason poll and the No. 14 spot in the D1Baseball.com ranking.
TUESDAY'S PROBABLE STARTER: #23 TURNER LARKINS
Making his second career start... was fantastic in his first career start, scattering five hits while striking out nine in 5.1 innings against Stephen F Austin... made quick work of Holy Cross in his first career outing, using just nine pitches to dispatch of the Crusaders in the eighth inning of Sunday's win... owns a 10.0-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio... boasts a 1.09 WHIP... selected on pick before Johnny Manziel in the 2014 MLB First-Year Player Draft.
WEDNESDAY'S PROBABLE STARTER: #15 BRIGHAM HILL
Making his first career start and his second appearance... Worked 1.1 innings in the second game of the season, allowing Holy Cross to score one run on four hits while striking out three.
TURNER BASEBALL
Turner Larkins has the distinction of being selected in the 2014 MLB First-Year Player Draft one spot before Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel. The Milwaukee Brewers selected Larkins out of Arlington Martin High School in the 28th round with the 836th overall pick. The San Diego Padres followed by drafting Manziel with the 837th pick.
SETTING THE TABLE
Aggie hitters leading off an inning have reached base in 33 of the 56 frames (.589), despite getting just 13 leadoff hits. A&M has drawn 16 walks and have been hit by three pitches to start innings. The Aggies have three leadoff home runs on the year. JB MOSS is leading the team, reaching base six times in the 10 frames he has led off, all on walks. LOGAN TAYLOR (4-4) has reached base in all four of his plate appearances leading off, going 2-for-2 with two home runs, one walk and one HBP. BLAKE ALLEMAND is 4-for-8 with one leadoff home run and MITCHELL NAU has reached on five his eight leadoff plate appearances, going 1-for-4 with three walks and one HBP.
LISTEN AROUND THE WORLD
A&M fans in Bryan/College Station will find it easier to find baseball broadcasts as every game will air on SportsRadio 1150 The Zone. Free live audio of every pitch of the 2015 season is also available online at 12thMan.com. Fans across the world can listen to Aggie games free of charge on their iPhone, Blackberry and other selected PDAs and cell phones through the Radio Aggieland app. To check availability or to set up your device to listen to Aggie baseball all season long wherever you go, visit radioaggieland.com.
MAKING EVERY OUT COUNT
The Aggies are making every out count this season, hitting .357 (30-for-84) with two outs. Meanwhile, their opponents have scuffled, hitting .195 (15-for-77) with two outs. The Maroon and White have logged 30 RBI with two outs, an average of 4.29 per game. Ronnie Gideon is batting .357 (5-for-11) with 11 RBI with two outs. JB MOSS hit .625 (5-for-8) with eight RBI with two outs during the span.
BANKS EARNS PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA
NICK BANKS picked up a pair of Preseason All-America honors. The sophomore outfielder was named to the Perfect Game's 2015 Preseason College All-America Second Team and D1Baseball.com Preseason All-America Second Team.
As a freshman, Banks batted .327 with 29 runs, 10 doubles, two triples, two home runs, 26 RBI and seven stolen bases. In 30 SEC contests, Banks ranked fourth in the league with a .360 batting average, going 41-for-114 with seven doubles, one triple, one home run, 15 runs and 16 RBI.
Following his successful rookie campaign, Banks earned Freshman All-America recognition from National Collegiate Baseball Writers' Association and Collegiate Baseball. He was named All-SEC Second Team as well as earning a place on the SEC All-Freshman squad. Banks and Florida's Logan Shore were the only two freshmen to earn All-SEC status in 2014.
Banks is living up to the publicity in 2015. He's batting .407 (11-for-27) with seven runs, two doubles, one triple, eight home runs and three stolen bases.
BIG INNINGS
The Aggies have been producing plenty of big innings early in the 2015 campaign. The Maroon and White have scored multiple runs in 21 of their 56 innings on the year. Texas A&M has had 10 innings with at least three runs and six “Big Innings” with at least four runs. Twice in 2015, A&M has logged seven runs, including the second inning of the season opener against Holy Cross and in the seventh inning of the second game of the year. The Aggies have batted through the line four times this season.
LOCAL BOY
With the departure of Krey Bratsen, the all-time Aggie leader in games played, newcomer BLAKE KOPETSKY takes over the role of the local boy. Kopetsky was a standout at Rudder High School in Bryan, earning three letters. He was tabbed an All-Texas 4A Third Team outfielder by the Texas SportsWriters Association as a senior in 2012. The last two years he played at Temple Junior College and returned home in the summers to star for the Brazos Valley Bombers.
Other recent players to hail from Bryan or College Station include Bratsen (2011-14), Luke Anders (2006-09), Nick Anders (2009), Kyle Nicholson (2004-07) and Keith Stein (2005-06).
Kopetsky has appeared in four games, including one start. He's batting .333 (2-for-6) with one run, one triple and two walks.
ALLEMAND'S SENIORITY
Blake Allemand enters the season as the most senior of veterans on the squad. Heading into Tuesday's game, Allemand has played in 174 games. With 26 more games, Allemand would become just the 17th Aggie to appear in 200 games. Five Aggies have appeared in 200 games in the 21st century, including school record holder Krey Bratsen (245 - 2011-014), Kevin Gonzalez (236 - 2008-11), Brodie Green (228 - 2007-10), Kyle Colligan (218 - 2006-09) and Brandon Wood (204 - 2010-13).
For his career, Allemand is hitting .280 (167-for-597) with 15 doubles, four triples, two home runs, 73 RBI and 26 stolen bases. He has made 168 career starts, including 47 in 2012, 61 in 2013 and 53 in 2014.
CALL ON ME
Coach Childress has three pitchers who he has called on 50 or more times in their career, including JASON FREEMAN, A.J. MINTER and ANDREW VINSON. MATT KENT is also nearing the half-century mark with 48 appearances.
Freeman leads all active players with his 55 games which includes 52 relief appearances. For his career, the right-hander is 4-3 with a 5.06 ERA and 52 strikeouts in 64.0 innings. Minter is 5-0 with a 2.28 ERA, two saves and 56 strikeouts (24 BB) in 47.1 innings in 54 appearances, 52 in relief. In 50 games, all out of the bullpen, Vinson is 4-3 with a 3.24 ERA, two saves and 56 strikeouts (21 BB) in 58.1 innings. Kent counts eight starts among his 48 games. The southpaw is 7-4 with a 3.28 ERA and 62 strikeouts (10 BB) in 96.0 innings.
POSITION CHANGES
Although nothing is set in stone, the Aggies are entering the season anticipating position changes for a few of starters. LOGAN TAYLOR, who started 43 games at shortstop in 2014, has been working in the outfield and is expected to open the season in leftfield. LOGAN NOTTEBROK, who notched 27 starts at third base and was the designated hitter on nine occasions, has been working out at first base. BLAKE ALLEMAND is getting most of his work at shortstop in the preseason. Although he has 28 career starts at shortstop, most of his work the last three years has come third base (76) and second base (57).
PITCHER WEDGE
Kyle Simonds marks the only player on the squad to not play high school baseball. Simonds spent his springs at Grand Island (Neb.) Central Catholic High School playing golf. Skilled on the links, Simonds qualified for the Nebraska Class C state tournament all four years, finishing 11th at the championship as a junior. He got his share of baseball in the summers staring for American Legion squad Home Federal. He went 2-for-2 with one double, one home run and three RBI at the Cornhusker League All-Star Game in July 2012.
Simonds honed his pitching skills at Hutchinson Community College where he blossomed last year. As a sophomore, he was named the National Junior College Athletic Association Division I Pitcher of the Year, posting a 13-0 record (13 wins led the nation) and a 2.30 ERA. He broke single season school records for wins (13), complete-games (nine), shutouts (three) and strikeouts (103) in 2014.
The northpaw has been impressive in his two appearance this season. Simonds has not yielded a run in 8.1 innings, striking out eight and scattering five hits. In his first career outing, he retired 12 of 13 batters, he faced with the only batter reaching base on a HBP, as he blanked Holy Cross for 4.0 innings with four strikeouts. In his last appearance, Simonds scattered three hits over 2.1 innings against Stephen F. Austin, striking out four Lumberjacks. In his last outing, he blanked Penn State for two frames in the series opener.
1,000 WINS AT OLSEN FIELD
The Aggies enter the week needing 10 home wins to reach the 1,000-win plateau at the friendly confines of Olsen Field. Now in their 38th season at the now-Blue Bell Park, the Maroon and White are 990-324-4 (.752).
FAST STARTS
The Aggies are outscoring opponents 30-1 in the first two innings of games, including 14-1 in the first inning and 16-0 in the second inning. A&M is hitting .387 (12-for-31) with a .500 on-base percentage, six doubles, one home run and 13 RBI in the first frame of games. The Maroon and White step offense up in the second inning, batting .500 (16-for-32) with a .571 on-base percentage, two doubles, one triple, four home runs and 16 RBI.
BAGS FULL OF AGS
JB MOSS has come to the plate with bases loaded on four occasions this season, going 2-for-2 with six RBI, logging a pair of two-run singles, one walk and one sac fly. Texas A&M has batted 14 times with bases loaded, going 3-for-11 with two sacrifice flies, one walk and 10 RBI.
DINGER WATCH
The Aggies have 12 home runs through the first seven games. Last season, Texas A&M needed 34 games to register 12 home runs. LOGAN TAYLOR leads the Aggies with three home runs, including two in the weekend series against Penn State. RYNE BIRK, RONNIE GIDEON and JB MOSS have two apiece.
STOUT BULLPEN
They have only been thrown in tight situations on a few occasions thus far in 2015, but the Aggies' bullpen has been solid. Nine pitchers have combined to work 24.1 innings out of the bullpen, posting a 2.59 ERA with 22 hits and just four walks while striking out 23. KYLE SIMONDS has worked the most innings, weaving 8.1 scoreless frames, scattering five hits while striking out eight in three appearances. He owns one of the Aggies' two saves, a four-inning outing in the season opener against Holy Cross. TY SCHLOTTMANN has been called on the most, with four appearances. The southpaw has worked 3.2 blank frames, scattering two hits and two walks while striking out four. MARK ECKER accounts for A&M's other save on the year. The sophomore has worked scoreless innings with one hit and three strikeouts.
FOR STARTERS
Aggie starting pitchers have been solid in 2015, posting a 6-0 record with a 1.63 ERA after seven games. A&M starters are holding opponents to a .227 batting and boast a 3.0-to-1 strikeouts-to-walk ratio (42/14). AJ Minter (2-0) has held opponents to a .179 batting average and has allowed just two unearned runs while striking out 16 in 10.0 innings over his first two starts. Matt Kent is also 2-0, allowing three runs, two earned, in 13.2 innings of work. The junior lefty boasts A&M's two longest starts. He has not issued a walk on the season, while striking out nine.
A WALK'S AS GOOD AS A HIT
Texas A&M batters have taken advantage of the free passes in 2015. The Aggies are average 6.29 walks per game. The Maroon and White have 44 walks on the season, with 13 of them coming when leading off an inning. 25 of the 44 walks have resulted in runs, including Sunday's 5-2 win over Penn State when four of the five runs to score reached base via the walk.
A HIT BY PITCH'S AS GOOD AS A HIT
Texas A&M batters have taken one for the team quite a bit in 2015, getting hit by 17 pitches in seven games, an average 2.43 HBP per game. Eight of the 17 players who have reached via an HBP have come around to score a run.
SEEMS LIKE JUST LAST YEAR
Here's a comparison of the Aggies offensive numbers through four games in 2014 and 2015.
UP NEXT
The Aggies return to action on Friday when they host the Dartmouth Big Green for a three-game series on Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park.