COLLEGE STATION, Texas - The No. 1 Texas A&M Aggies host the Abilene Christian Wildcats in a Wednesday night affair on Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park. The Aggies enter Wednesday's game with a perfect 22-0 mark in non-conference games, including 10-0 in midweek action. At 33-3, the Maroon and White have already matched their regular-season win total from 2014 (33-23) with 19 regular-season games left on the schedule. Texas A&M has hit a home run in nine consecutive games, including six games with multiple dingers. The Aggies have 20 home runs over the span.
#1 TEXAS A&M AGGIES (33-3, 11-3 SEC) vs ABILENE CHRISTIAN WILDCATS (8-24*, 6-9 Southland)
Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park (6,100) • College Station, Texas
* - Abilene Christian hosts Texas Tech on Tuesday evening
SCHEDULE - 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
RANKINGS - Texas A&M - 1 (USAT), 1 (CB), 1 (D1B), 1 (BA), 1 (NCBWA); Abilene Christian - unranked
SERIES HISTORY - Texas A&M leads 3-0
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
• WEDNESDAY: #23 Turner Larkins (Fr., RHP, 4-1, 3.43 ERA) vs. TBA
TEXAS A&M/ABILENE CHRISTIAN SERIES NOTABLES
This marks the fourth meeting ever between Texas A&M and Abilene Christian on the ball diamond. The first two meetings came in 1976 with the Aggies winning 9-3 and 3-2 in College Station.
Last season, the Aggies won a 20-2 decision against the Wildcats. The run carousel was spearheaded by four players with three or more hits. LOGAN NOTTEBROK went 3-for-4 with three runs, one home run and four RBI. RYNE BIRK hit 4-for-5 with one double, home run and three RBI.
MORE ON ABILENE CHRISTIAN
The Wildcats enter the fray with an 8-24 overall record and a 6-9 mark in Southland Conference play.
Abilene Christian is hitting .241 (253-for-1050) as a team and they are averaging 3.5 runs per game. Tyler Eager leads the team with a .295 batting average with 10 doubles, one home run and 21 RBI.
On the mound, Abilene Christian owns a 4.51 ERA, .281 opponent batting average and 226 strikeouts in 277.2 innings.
ACU head coach Britt Bonneau played college baseball at Oklahoma where he hit .285 and scored a team-best 72 runs for the Sooner squad that advanced to the 1992 College World Series.
The Wildcats captured eight Lone Star Conference South Division titles, two LSC regular-season championships and five LSC Tournament titles between 2000-10. ACU played in nine of the last 13 NCAA Division II Championships, including advancing to the 2003 Division II College World Series.
Abilene Christian's Bill Gilbreth is the lone Wildcat to reach the Major League ranks pitching in 14 games for the Detroit Tigers and California Angels between 1971-74.
WEDNESDAY'S PROBABLE STARTER:Â #23 TURNER LARKINS
Making his ninth career start... owns a 5.13-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio (41 K/8 BB)... bounced back three weeks after his first career loss with a win at UTSA... scattered two hits and two walks while striking out four in 6.0 innings against the Roadrunners... earned a win in his first career SEC and weekend start, holding Auburn to one run on four hits while striking out seven in 6.1 innings... 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 the series finale win... selected on pick before Johnny Manziel in the 2014 MLB First-Year Player Draft.
BIG INNINGS
The 2015 campaign has been spangled by big innings for the Aggies. Texas A&M has four innings in 2015 in which they've scored at least seven runs. Most recently, the Aggies put up nine runs in the sixth inning of their 14-6 rubber match win against Missouri and 13 runs in the third inning of a 19-4 pounding of Sam Houston State. For the year, the Aggies boast 20 innings in which they've produced four or more runs.
BARASH CATCHES THEM RED-HANDED
Aggie catcher MICHAEL BARASH has displayed a howitzer behind the plate this season, throwing out 10 of 22 attempted base stealers (45.5 percent). His numbers are even more impressive in SEC action where he has thrown out five of eight (62.5 percent) of would-be base stealers. Two weeks ago, he kept the aggressive Missouri Tigers' run game in check throwing out two of the four attempted base stealers.
MIDWEEK PERFECTION
The Aggies are 10-0 in midweek action this season, outscoring opponents 77-20. The A&M offense has been highlighted by NICK BANKS, batting .606 (20-for-33) with eight runs, three doubles and six RBI, and MITCHELL NAU, hitting .483 (14-for-29) with nine RBI. RONNIE GIDEON has four home runs and 12 RBI. The pitching staff has a 1.76 ERA and the Aggies have 97 strikeouts in 92.0 innings. TURNER LARKINS has started seven of the games, posting a 3-0 record with a 2.73 ERA and 32 strikeouts in 33.0 innings. The bullpen is 6-0 with four saves and a 1.16 ERA in midweek action.
Dating back to last season, the Aggies have won 15 consecutive midweek games.
NINTH-INNING CLAMPS
The Aggie pitching staff has yielded just six earned runs in the ninth inning or extra innings, a body of work that includes 35.0 innings and all six of the earned runs have come with Texas A&M leading by four or more runs. The bullpen, which has yielded just five runs, four unearned, in the ninth inning and extra frames, has allowed just 22 hits and 16 walks in the 34.2 innings, with 40 strikeouts. MARK ECKER has accounted for 12.0 innings, yielding only three hits and four walks while striking out 15. RYAN HENDRIX has worked 11.0 innings, allowing two runs, one earned, scattering nine hits and three walks while striking out 12.
FINISHING STRONG
Texas A&M has outscored opponents 79-26 combined in innings 7-9 plus extra innings, including 32-9 in the seventh inning and 48-11 in the eighth inning. Opponents are outscoring the Aggies 7-3 in the ninth inning, but A&M has batted in the ninth just eight times while the foe has gotten their ninth-inning hacks in 33 of the 36 games. Texas A&M is outscoring opponents 1-0 in extra innings.
BOUNCE BACK
The Aggies bounced back in grand fashion after each of their three losses, toppling UTSA 11-1, besting Missouri 14-6 and toppling Mississippi State 13-5. Two of the games marked the two highest hit totals on the season, including 19 against UTSA and 17 against Missouri. The Aggies hit a combined .405 (49-for-121) and averaged 12.7 runs per game in the two contests. LOGAN TAYLOR has hit .700 (7-for-10) with three runs, one home run and six RBI in the three games. NICK BANKS has batted .636 (7-for-11) with six runs, one home run and five RBI. RONNIE GIDEON has two home runs and nine RBI.
DINGER WATCH
The Aggies already have 42 home runs on the season. Last year, A&M hit just 25 home runs on the year. The Aggies had just 14 home runs at this point in the season in 2014. A&M has hit 14 of their 42 home runs in series openers. The Aggies have 15 home runs in their last five games, including five home runs in a 19-4 win against Sam Houston State. A&M added five more home runs in the doubleheader sweep at Kentucky and logged two in a 4-3 win over No. 13 Rice.
INHERITANCE TAX
In the Aggies' 3-2 win against Baylor, A&M's bullpen had a string of stranding 18 consecutive inherited runners snapped. The Aggie relievers have still been rather salty on the season, allowing just 17 of 79 (78.5 percent) inherited runners to score. TY SCHLOTTMANN has been the most tested out of the bullpen and he has been up to the task, stranding 18 of his 23 inherited runners (78.3 percent). ANDREW VINSON has left 14 of the 19 ducks he inherited on the pond. KYLE SIMONDS has stranded five of the six runners he has inherited and JASON FREEMAN has stranded all four inherited runners. Against Prairie View A&M, Aggie relievers entered the game with seven baserunners, including bases loaded on two occasions, and they didn't yield a run. In the doubleheader sweep of Kentucky, the Aggies allowed just one of six inherited runners to score. Last Tuesday against Rice, the bullpen stranded six of seven inherited runners.
STOUT BULLPEN
The Aggie bullpen has been tested more frequently as the season has progressed and are stepping up to the challenge. Thirteen pitchers have combined to work 134.2 innings out of the bullpen, posting an 13-1 record, 13 saves, a 1.60 ERA, 101 hits and 38 walks while striking out 125. The bullpen sports a WHIP of 1.03, opponent batting average of .210 and a 3.29-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio. At the Houston College Classic, the bullpen allowed just one hit in 7.2 innings of scoreless relief.
Texas A&M's bullpen has outstanding numbers in two key stats. The Aggie relievers have retired 73.6 percent (78-of-106) of the first batters they have faced. They've also stranded 78.5 percent (62-of-79) of the runners they have inherited.
In games decided four runs or less, the Aggie bullpen owns a 0.76 ERA and is holding opponents to a .212 batting average. ANDREW VINSON has 14 appearances in those games with a 3-0 record, allowing just one run, scattering 11 hits while striking out 15 in 19.1 scoreless innings. MARK ECKER has allowed just two unearned runs in the contests, allowing five hits and four walks while striking out 15 in 11.1 innings, posting six saves. RYAN HENDRIX has appeared in 11 of the contests, allowing two runs, one earned, on 11 hits and six walks while striking out 11 in 15.0 innings. He has a 2-0 mark, five saves and a 0.60 ERA in the tight games.
STREAKS
• NICK BANKS enters the game on a 13-game hit streak, equaling the longest streak of his career. He is batting .429 (21-for-49) over the span with 14 runs, three doubles, three home runs and 10 RBI. On March 7, he had a career-long 13-game hit streak snapped. The sophomore batted .438 (21-for-48) with four doubles, one triple, one home run and 14 RBI over the span. Banks has logged hits in 33 of the 35 games he's played this season.
• NICK BANKS has reached base (via walk, HBP or hit) in all 35 game he's played in 2015. He owns a .473 on-base percentage with 55 hits, 13 walks and two HBP over the span. It's the longest streak for an Aggie since Mikey Reynolds reached in 46 consecutive games in 2013.
• MITCHELL NAU enters the game with a career-long 13-game hit streak. He is batting .407 (22-for-54) over the span with 13 runs, three home runs and 14 RBI.
• In his start last Saturday, KYLE SIMONDS has a streak of 29.1 consecutive innings without giving up an earned run, covering 11 outings, snapped. He has allowed three unearned runs, scattering 17 hits and 10 walks while striking out 21 over the span.
• The Aggies are on a 15-game win streak in midweek games. The string includes five games at the end of 2014, including wins over then-No. 16 Rice and then-No. 25 Sam Houston State.
• The Aggies have won their last 27 regular-season non-conference games, including 22 in a row this season.
• The Aggies have nine consecutive games with home runs, including six games multiple home runs, including five last Tuesday in a 19-4 win against Sam Houston State. The Maroon and White have 20 home runs during the stretch. NICK BANKS, MITCHELL NAU, LOGAN NOTTEBROK and LOGAN TAYLOR all have three home runs over the stretch.
• LOGAN NOTTEBROK has a home run in each of his last three starts. His dingers have come in the series finale against Missouri and midweek games against Sam Houston State and Rice. Over the three starts, Nottebrok is hitting .417 (5-for-12) with one double, three home runs and seven RBI.
QUICK DRAW
The Aggies are outscoring opponents a combined 72-23 in the first two innings of games, including 41-18 in first innings and 31-5 in second innings.
In the first inning of games, the Aggies are batting .342 (52-for-152) with a .434 on-base percentage and .487 slugging percentage. The Maroon and White have drawn 25 walks and have been hit by two pitches. The extra-base hits include 11 doubles, one triple and three home runs.
In the first inning of games, the A&M pitching staff has held opponents to a .237 batting average (33-for-139) and have struck out 40 of the 154 batters they've faced (26.0%).
In the second inning of games, the Aggies are batting .295 (41-for-139) with a .388 on-base percentage and .496 slugging percentage. The Maroon and White have drawn 18 walks and have been hit by five pitches. The extra-base hits include five doubles, one triple and seven home runs.
In the second inning of games, the A&M pitching staff has held opponents to a .241 batting average (33-for-137) and have struck out 40 of the 150 batters they've faced (26.7%).
MEATGRINDER
Starting with the three-game series at Alabama, 23 of Texas A&M's last 33 games will be against teams that advanced to the 2014 NCAA Championship. The gauntlet includes seven SEC weekend series against NCAA tournament teams, including Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, LSU, Ole Miss, Mississippi State and South Carolina, two games against Sam Houston State and one game against Rice. The Aggies are currently 11-3 in the stretch.
BALANCE OF POWER
Coach Childress has the potential to pencil in a lineup that can include nine players with at least three home runs. LOGAN TAYLOR leads the team with eight home runs, followed closely by RONNIE GIDEON with seven. JB MOSS checks in with five home runs, followed by NICK BANKS and LOGAN NOTTEBROK with four. apiece BLAKE ALLEMAND, RYNE BIRK, HUNTER MELTON and MITCHELL NAU all have three home runs.
1,000 WINS AT OLSEN FIELD
With their win in the Saturday game against Auburn, the Aggies secured their 1,000th win at the friendly confines of Olsen Field. Playing their 38th season at the now-Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park, the Maroon and White are 1,008-326-4 (.755) at the corner of George Bush Drive and Olsen Boulevard.
AGGIES PERFECT IN NON-CONFERENCE PLAY
The Aggies are 22-0 in non-conference play this season. In non-league play, the Aggie pitching staff owns a 1.75 ERA and is holding opponents to a .227 batting average. The staff has a 1.09 WHIP and 4.16 K-to-BB ratio during the span. On offense, the Aggies are hitting .320 in non-conference action with NICK BANKS (.442) and MITCHELL NAU (.429) both hitting over .400.
Texas A&M owns a 27-game win streak in regular-season non-conference play.
UP NEXT
The Aggies return to league play on Friday as the host the Arkansas Razorbacks in a three-game series.