COLLEGE STATION, Texas – No. 19 Texas A&M put up five runs in the bottom of the first inning and lefty John Doxakis cruised through 8.0 innings as the Aggies toppled the No. 20 LSU Tigers Friday night on Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park to even the three-game series.
The five-run first inning, continued a trend for the Maroon & White as they've outscored opponents 33-3 in the opening chapter this season.
The Aggies pounded out 12 hits on the day, including six in the first-inning uprising. Logan Foster batted 3-for-3 with two walks and two runs to pace the attack. Braden Shewmake, Cole Bedford and Zach DeLoach each notched two hits. Shewmake hit 2-for-5 with one RBI and one stolen base. Bedford batted 2-for-4 with one run and two RBI and DeLoach was 2-for-4 with one double, one run and two RBI.
Doxakis (5-1) yielded just two runs on a wind-aided home run, scattering six hits and four walks while striking out five. Asa Lacy diced up the Tigers in the ninth inning, striking out two of the three batters he faced.
Texas A&M improved to 22-9 overall and 4-7 in the SEC. LSU dropped to 20-12 overall and 6-5 in league play.
NEXT UP
The teams meet in a rubber match Saturday at 2:02 p.m.
SCORING SUMMARY
B1 | In his first game as a leadoff hitter, Michael Helman started off with a single to rightfield. Logan Foster followed with a single up the middle and Shewmake knocked in Helman single through the right side of the infield. Shewmake stole second base to put two runners in scoring position and Hunter Coleman plated Foster with a sacrifice fly. With two outs, Bedford went with an opposite field single through the right side to plate Shewmake and he came around to score when DeLoach gapped a double to right-center. George Janca capped off the rally with a single to left-center, driving in DeLoach. A&M 5, LSU 0.
T4 | Antoine Duplantis punched a single to leftfield to start the frame. With one out, Daniel Cabrera lofted a ball into the south wind and carried the ball over the fence in right-center for a two-run home run. A&M 5, LSU 2.
B5 | With one out, Foster drew a seven-pitch walk and came around to score when Shewmake ripped a triple past LSU centerfielder Zach Watson. Shewmake scored on a wild pitch on a ball fourth issued to Hunter Coleman. Coleman moved to second when Will Frizzell was hit by a pitch and he scored on a single to left by Bedford. A&M 8, LSU 2.
B7 | Frizzell started the frame with a gapper to right-center for a double. Allonte Wingate pinch-ran for Frizzell, moved to third on a deep flyout to rightfield by Cole Bedford and scored when DeLoach laced a single through the left side of the infield. A&M 9, LSU 2.
TEXAS A&M QUOTES
Head Coach Rob Childress
On the win overall…
"I can't tell you how important this win was for us after last night's disappointing loss. To come out with the attitude and energy we had in the first inning really was the deciding factor. It wasn't just the bottom of the first inning, but also the top. In the second and third, they only had one out and could have come away with at least one or maybe more runs, but (John) Doxakis didn't allow that to happen. We came in and were ready to go. We grabbed the lead, and off we went. They hit a two-run homer to try to grab the momentum back a little bit, but we didn't allow that to happen. We continued to score late. Again, John Doxakis was fabulous."
On switching up the lineup…
"It was just a different look. It gave Zach DeLoach the opportunity to breathe a little bit. The top of the order and top three were on base nine times tonight, so it's a good thing when it works. We certainly needed something to go our way, and we made things go our way tonight."
Sophomore LF Logan Foster
On the attitude and preparation of the team…
"There have been a few times where we came out this year and have been really laid back in our pregame stuff. That is when we are not ready to go from this first pitch, but today we kind of changed it up. We had guys diving all over the place and sliding when we were taking batting practice. You could definitely tell that it was a whole different mentality."
On being moved to the top of the order…
"At first, I was a little nervous, but I was in that spot last year. Having Michael Helman in front of me and Braden Shewmake behind me, you are going to feel comfortable with those guys around you."
Sophomore LHP John Doxakis
On the team's preparation for tonight's game…
"Before the game, we all obviously knew we had to turn something around. Cole Bedford, my hat goes off to him because he is the one that set the tone from the start. He is a leadership guy and always making sure everyone is in line and ready to go. All the leaders got together and said we have to do something on our own because it's not just going to happen. Cole took initiative and really got us going."
Freshman CF Zach DeLoach
On the nine-run game...
"Top of the lineup got it started for us tonight and the middle half and the bottom half was able to tag on the hit parade. We just kept the swings going."
On lineup change...
"It wasn't any different. I was still being aggressive... still being myself. I wasn't really changing anything with my approach. I worked on a few things here and there but overall the team mentality coming into this game set us apart tonight."
The five-run first inning, continued a trend for the Maroon & White as they've outscored opponents 33-3 in the opening chapter this season.
The Aggies pounded out 12 hits on the day, including six in the first-inning uprising. Logan Foster batted 3-for-3 with two walks and two runs to pace the attack. Braden Shewmake, Cole Bedford and Zach DeLoach each notched two hits. Shewmake hit 2-for-5 with one RBI and one stolen base. Bedford batted 2-for-4 with one run and two RBI and DeLoach was 2-for-4 with one double, one run and two RBI.
Doxakis (5-1) yielded just two runs on a wind-aided home run, scattering six hits and four walks while striking out five. Asa Lacy diced up the Tigers in the ninth inning, striking out two of the three batters he faced.
Texas A&M improved to 22-9 overall and 4-7 in the SEC. LSU dropped to 20-12 overall and 6-5 in league play.
NEXT UP
The teams meet in a rubber match Saturday at 2:02 p.m.
SCORING SUMMARY
B1 | In his first game as a leadoff hitter, Michael Helman started off with a single to rightfield. Logan Foster followed with a single up the middle and Shewmake knocked in Helman single through the right side of the infield. Shewmake stole second base to put two runners in scoring position and Hunter Coleman plated Foster with a sacrifice fly. With two outs, Bedford went with an opposite field single through the right side to plate Shewmake and he came around to score when DeLoach gapped a double to right-center. George Janca capped off the rally with a single to left-center, driving in DeLoach. A&M 5, LSU 0.
T4 | Antoine Duplantis punched a single to leftfield to start the frame. With one out, Daniel Cabrera lofted a ball into the south wind and carried the ball over the fence in right-center for a two-run home run. A&M 5, LSU 2.
B5 | With one out, Foster drew a seven-pitch walk and came around to score when Shewmake ripped a triple past LSU centerfielder Zach Watson. Shewmake scored on a wild pitch on a ball fourth issued to Hunter Coleman. Coleman moved to second when Will Frizzell was hit by a pitch and he scored on a single to left by Bedford. A&M 8, LSU 2.
B7 | Frizzell started the frame with a gapper to right-center for a double. Allonte Wingate pinch-ran for Frizzell, moved to third on a deep flyout to rightfield by Cole Bedford and scored when DeLoach laced a single through the left side of the infield. A&M 9, LSU 2.
Struck early. Remained relentless.
— Texas A&M Baseball (@AggieBaseball) April 7, 2018
Rubber match tomorrow at 2:02 p.m.#FamilyF1rst #12thMan pic.twitter.com/WAkSkHEVkq
Somehow, @Lilfost05 survived this interview ???? pic.twitter.com/lHUMEQ6QYv
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) April 7, 2018
.@Rob_Childress on Friday's victory over LSU
— Texas A&M Baseball (@AggieBaseball) April 7, 2018
"To come out with the attitude we had & the energy we had, the first inning really ended up being the deciding factor."#FamilyF1rst #12thMan pic.twitter.com/RyKbcwVe93
Asa Lacy finishes things off in the ninth, & the Aggies even the series! #FamilyF1rst #12thMan pic.twitter.com/XmtqMtBpF3
— Texas A&M Baseball (@AggieBaseball) April 7, 2018
TEXAS A&M QUOTES
Head Coach Rob Childress
On the win overall…
"I can't tell you how important this win was for us after last night's disappointing loss. To come out with the attitude and energy we had in the first inning really was the deciding factor. It wasn't just the bottom of the first inning, but also the top. In the second and third, they only had one out and could have come away with at least one or maybe more runs, but (John) Doxakis didn't allow that to happen. We came in and were ready to go. We grabbed the lead, and off we went. They hit a two-run homer to try to grab the momentum back a little bit, but we didn't allow that to happen. We continued to score late. Again, John Doxakis was fabulous."
On switching up the lineup…
"It was just a different look. It gave Zach DeLoach the opportunity to breathe a little bit. The top of the order and top three were on base nine times tonight, so it's a good thing when it works. We certainly needed something to go our way, and we made things go our way tonight."
Sophomore LF Logan Foster
On the attitude and preparation of the team…
"There have been a few times where we came out this year and have been really laid back in our pregame stuff. That is when we are not ready to go from this first pitch, but today we kind of changed it up. We had guys diving all over the place and sliding when we were taking batting practice. You could definitely tell that it was a whole different mentality."
On being moved to the top of the order…
"At first, I was a little nervous, but I was in that spot last year. Having Michael Helman in front of me and Braden Shewmake behind me, you are going to feel comfortable with those guys around you."
Sophomore LHP John Doxakis
On the team's preparation for tonight's game…
"Before the game, we all obviously knew we had to turn something around. Cole Bedford, my hat goes off to him because he is the one that set the tone from the start. He is a leadership guy and always making sure everyone is in line and ready to go. All the leaders got together and said we have to do something on our own because it's not just going to happen. Cole took initiative and really got us going."
Freshman CF Zach DeLoach
On the nine-run game...
"Top of the lineup got it started for us tonight and the middle half and the bottom half was able to tag on the hit parade. We just kept the swings going."
On lineup change...
"It wasn't any different. I was still being aggressive... still being myself. I wasn't really changing anything with my approach. I worked on a few things here and there but overall the team mentality coming into this game set us apart tonight."