Baseball Falls to California in 14 Innings

Saturday, May 30

College Station

6:00 PM

Texas A&M

46-12

Cal

36-19

Texas A&M

California

May 30, 2015 | Baseball

Box Score

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The No. 6 Texas A&M Aggies surrendered a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 14th inning Saturday evening to drop a 2-1 decision to the California Golden Bears in NCAA Division I Championship College Station Regional action on Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park.

In the 14th inning, Mitchell Kranson lofted 2-1 offering from Ryan Hendrix to rightfield and it cleared the wall just out of the reach of Nick Banks to send the Aggies to an elimination game against the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers on Sunday (12 pm).

Texas A&M (46-11) broke the scoring seal in the top of the first. Blake Allemand drew a five-pitch walk and Ryne Birk poked a first-pitch offering into centerfield to put two aboard. After Mitchell Nau grounded into a fielder's choice out retiring Allemand at third, Logan Taylor single off the glove of a diving Cal third baseman to score Birk for the 1-0 lead. The Aggies threatened for more, but Banks lined into a double play to end the frame.

Aggies' starter Grayson Long tiptoed through trouble to put up six scoreless frames, but the Golden Bears finally touched him up for a run in the bottom of the seventh. With two outs, Devin Pearson threaded a single through the left side of the infield and Lucas Erceg slapped a single into shallow right-center to put runners on the corners. Chris Paul sent home the equalizer with a single to centerfield. Hendrix entered the game and induced a pop up to end the frame.

In the 11th inning, Banks appeared to hit a go-ahead, two-run home run but Golden Bears' leftfield Brian Celsi made leap at the wall to keep it in the parking for an inning-ending fly out.

The Aggies had numerous opportunities to take the lead in extra innings, but strained seven runners in frames 10-14, including three in the 13th inning.

The two teams combined to strand 31 runners in the game, with Cal leaving 17 on the basepaths.

The Golden Bears' Pearson and Aggies' Taylor each had four hits in the game.

Texas A&M was unable to capitalize on a strong start by Long and heroic relief appearance by Hendrix. Long scattered 10 hits and one walk while striking out four over 6.2 innings. Hendrix (5-3) recorded a career-high 12 strikeouts, allowing one run on five hits and one walk in 6.2 innings.

Cal starter Ryan Mason allowed one run on six hits and three walks while striking out three in 8.0 innings. Frank Martinez (3-1) picked up the winning, scattering three hits while striking out three in 1.2 innings.

On Sunday evening at 6 pm, California (36-19) will face the winner of Sunday morning's Coastal Carolina-Texas A&M game.

Notes
California (36-19)

Team Notes

With he win the Bears face the winner of Sunday's elimination game (12 p.m.) at 6 p.m. in the regional championship. Should the Bears lose an "if necessary" game will be played Monday at 6:30 p.m.
With the win, Cal improves to 4-2 all-time against Texas A&M.
Cal put a runner on base in every inning except for the 10th. The Bears stranded 17 runners, hitting 6-for-26 with runners on base and 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position.
After the first inning, the Bear pitchers held A&M scoreless for 13 innings, picking up three double plays and allowing just one extra-base hit. The Cal pitching staff held A&M to 1-for-12 with two outs.

Individual Notes

Devin Pearson picked up singles in each of his first two at-bats against Texas A&M. The junior has six hits through the first two games of the College Station Regional (2-for-4 vs Coastal Carolina, 4-for-7 vs Texas A&M). The right fielder now has 14 multi-hit games this year (fourth most on the team, Lucas Erceg – 22, Chris Paul -21, Aaron Knapp - 20)
Mitchell Kranson tallied his 18th RBI of the season with a 14th inning walk off home run; the junior has had an RBI in both games in College Station. Kranson fished 3-for-7 against A&M, his eighth multi-hit game of the season.
Chris Paul's single in the seventh inning tied the game at one-all as Lucas Erceg scored from second. The senior has 12 hits in his last 28 at-bats, raising his batting average on the season to .326.
Starting pitcher Ryan Mason threw eight innings in the no decision, the junior allowed one run on six hits and three walks. The righty struck out three of the 30 batters he faced.
Erik Martinez threw the final 1.2 innings for the Bears picking up the win (3-1). The freshman scattered three hits to not allow a run, striking out three.

Texas A&M (46-12)

Team Notes

With the loss the Aggies will face Coastal Carolina Sunday at 12 p.m. in an elimination game.
With the loss, Texas A&M fell to 2-4 all-time against Cal.
A&M pitchers combined for 16 strikeouts on the night, the Aggies 22nd game with double-digit strike outs in 2015.
Saturday's loss was the first this season for A&M against an opponent not from the SEC.
The 14 inning game marks the longest postseason game in A&M history (passing 11 inning games against LSU in 1989 & Wright State in 2009).
The Aggies has 11 hits against Cal pitching, but only had one extra base hit on the night (Logan Taylor's double in the fourth inning).
The Maroon and White stranded 13 runners against the Bears, going 5-for-25 with runners on base and 2-for-16 with runners in scoring position.

Individual Notes

With a single in the fifth inning, Mitchell Nau extended his hit-streak to six games, the longest current streak on the team.
Taylor reached base five times on the night matching a career high four hits (vs. Tennessee 5/3/15). The left fielder had three singles, a double and a walk against Cal. The junior claimed the Aggies only RBI on the night in the first inning. Taylor now has 19 multi-hit games this season.
Hunter Melton and Michael Barash each had a pair of hits on the night, Melton now has 16 multi-hit games this year while Barash has eight.
Starting pitcher Grayson Long pitched around 10 hits and a walk to allow just one earned run through 6.2 innings. The right hander whiffed four of the 31 batters he faced.
Ryan Hendrix relieved Long with the a couple of runners on base and stranded both as he induced an inning-ending fly out to second. A&M relief pitchers have stranded 104-of-143 runners they have inherited this season (72.7 percent stranded). Hendrix went on to pitch a career-long 6.2 innings, striking out a career-high 12 batters. The sophomore took the loss to fall to 5-3 this season.

Postgame Quotes
CALIFORNIA

Head Coach David Esquer

Opening Statement…

"Win or lose that was going to be the one of the greatest games in program history. Thank goodness it turned into one of the greatest wins in program history. The two teams were really going at it. It hinged on every pitch. It just kept going back and forth and our guys weren't going to let each other crack. I was worried about mental fatigue there at the end, but we have so many leaders on the bench that it didn't happen there at the end. We are not done yet. Winning this game doesn't get you where you want to go but it sure does help. There was a point in the game where I felt like, win or lose, I would have been proud of my team for fighting so hard."

On the pitching against the Aggie lineup…

"They came out right at the start and forced a double play ball that we couldn't start. Then a ball off our glove led to a run. That lineup is as good as any we will ever face. Our pitchers had to be on. We were going to take him (Ryan Mason) out at one point but he talked us out of it. It was one of those moments where you just have to sit back and watch your players compete. He was able to get us out of the inning. He wanted the ball in his hands."

Junior leftfielder Brian Celsi

On the game-saving catch

"From what I remember, I went over the wall and I tried to catch it. I then looked at my glove and found the ball and I was pretty stoked. It was really cool."

Junior Catcher Mitchell Kranson

On the walk-off home run…

"I thought he (Nick Banks) was going to catch but it felt pretty good off the bat. The wind was blowing in early tonight then in the ninth or 10th inning the wind started blowing back out. I knew it had a chance off the bat. When he made the jump at the wall I made a jump at first hoping he didn't catch it."

Texas A&M

Head Coach Rob Childress

Opening statement…

"If you're a baseball fan, it was certainly in one for the ages. Two heavy-weights going at it for an awful long time. We had our shot in the first inning. We had [their pitcher] on the ropes, he wasn't very sharp. We hit a ball hard and lined into a double play. Just like that, he settled in and pitched great from there. I thought Grayson (Long) was fantastic as well. Ryan Hendrix was equally impressive. We had opportunities in the third or the ninth to get a big hit. It just didn't happen. Their team made pitches. Their team made plays. And so did ours. I'm very proud of our guys. They competed their tails off. I'm certain we'll get it tomorrow."

On sophomore pitcher Ryan Hendrix's relief outing…

"He was fantastic. Right behind Grayson (Long), he was outstanding. Maybe I left Grayson out there one hitter too long, but I felt like he was getting better with each inning that he went out. I wanted to see him get through that. We go to Hendrix, and he was electric with an incredible performance. And each guy they went to in the bull pen was equally as good."

On Ryan Mason… "[Mason's] a big, lanky kid. His fastball had run to it. His pitch was his change-up. Maybe we got sped up a little bit trying to extend the lead and put them away. He did a nice job. He's been very consistent. He certainly knows how to pitch."

On Nick Bank's near home run… "You saw the wind change direction in the ninth or 10th inning. I thought the ball before, Logan Taylor's, swung into the wind. I sure thought Nick's had a chance to creep out of here. Their guy made an awful nice play."

Facing the competition tomorrow…

"We've got to be able to shake it off. It'll all come down to toughness. It'll be over when we say it's over. We're going to come out and play a very talented Coastal Carolina team tomorrow and hopefully earn a chance to get another chance at California tomorrow night. We know we've got our hands full at noon tomorrow."

Junior pitcher Grayson Long

On getting in trouble in the seventh inning…

"I missed my spot. I couldn't get the fastball inside the half. It worked out to their advantage."

Sophomore pitcher Ryan Hendrix

On his pitching performance…

"I was mixing in my curve ball, and it was working really well tonight. Everything was working really well. I just let the last curve ball up a bit."