Aggies Win Series Finale versus Florida, 7-3

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – No. 18 Texas A&M rode a yeoman's effort from Stephen Kolek on the mound to a 7-3 victory in Sunday's series finale against No. 1 Florida on Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park.

Kolek (5-4) picked up the win, allowing three runs on six hits and four walks while striking out five in 6.2 innings. After wobbling early, the junior northpaw didn't allow a hit in his last 3.2 innings of work.

Nolan Hoffman closed out the game with 2.1 scoreless frames to earn his 10^th save of the season. He scattered two hits and one walk while striking out three.

The Aggies got the offense going Sunday after scoring just one run the first two games of the series. Texas A&M logged 11 hits on the day, including home runs from Hunter Coleman and Cole Bedford. Coleman, Bedford, Aaron Walters and Michael Helman each logged two hits.

Texas A&M improved to 34-14 overall and 12-12 in league action. Florida dropped to 38-11 overall and 18-6 in league play.


UP NEXT
The Aggies return to action Friday when they travel to Fayetteville for a three-game series against the Arkansas Razorbacks. The series opener is slated for 6:02 p.m. and the contest airs nationally on the SEC Network.


SCORING SUMMARY
T1 | Jonathan India notched his first hit of the weekend, sending a 2-1 offering over the rightfield fence for a two-out, solo home run. UF 1, A&M 0.
 
T2 | J.J. Schwarz drew a five-pitch walk to start the frame and, with one out, he moved to third when Brady Smith flared a single to right-center. Blake Reese plated Schwarz with a sacrifice fly. UF 2, A&M 0.
 
B2| The Aggies staked claim to their first lead of the series with a three-run outburst. Coleman started the frame with a single through the left side. With one out, Cole Bedford singled to put runners on the corners. Both runners moved up a base when Florida starting pitcher Jack Leftwich committed a balk, scoring Coleman. Walters capped off a nine-pitch at-bat with a wall-banger to right-center for an RBI double. George Janca knocked in Walters for the go-ahead run with a single to rightfield. A&M 3, UF 2.
 
T3 | Florida continued putting a picket fence on the board with a run in the third. With two outs, India singled through the left side, stole second base and came home to score when Wil Dalton dropped a single into leftfield. A&M 3, UF 3.
 
B3 | Texas A&M reclaimed the lead with one out when Coleman launched a 2-1 offering over the fence down the leftfield line for a solo dinger. A&M 4, UF 3.
 
B6 | With two outs, Bedford clanked an 0-1 offering off the rightfield foul pole for a solo home run. A&M 5, UF 3.
 
B7 | The Aggies took advantage of a Gators' error to tack on two insurance runs in the seventh. With one out, Helman singled through the left side and, with two outs, Shewmake singled through the right side to put runners on the corners. Florida centerfielder Nick Horvath dropped a fly ball hit by Coleman, allowing both runners to score. A&M 7, UF 3.
 

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TEXAS A&M QUOTES
Head Coach Rob Childress
On the game…
"Our team showed a lot of toughness today after what Florida did to us the last two days. They outclassed us in every category. It was really good for us to show up with great attitude, great mentality and just seeing (Stephen) Kolek just to battle and minimize damage. Huge momentum play to start the game with a double and Aaron Walters makes a great relay throw with a strike and to second base and get things going offensively in the third inning and get back in the game. Kolek got it together in the third and fourth. He just got better each inning and couldn't be more proud with the way he responded."
 
 
Sophomore 1B Hunter Coleman
On the games momentum…
"They got the momentum early, but our sole focus was to get the momentum back. I think we were on the barrel all weekend just hitting right at them and finally it was good to find some holes today and get a lot of hits."
 
On coming back after losing two…
"I think that just showed our toughness, we were going to do whatever it took to get the win today."
 
 
Junior RHP Stephen Kolek
On if he felt that he was close to being pulled in the third inning…
"I know that I was going to have a short trigger, so I needed to hang a zero or I was going to be running to the locker room to put my tennis shoes on. I was just trying to stay out there as long as could."
 
On what turned it around…
"Really I just going out in the fourth inning. I just told myself, 'whatever happens is going to happen.' From that point I was going to do my best to execute one pitch at a time and just take it one pitch at a time and make that pitch the best pitch I threw in the game. If it were my last one hopefully it would be my best one. Just not really worrying about the results, if they hit it we have a great defense behind us, and they played outstanding today. All credit goes to them for keeping me in the game as well."
 
 
Freshman OF Aaron Walters
On what was a bigger factor in the game…
"It was the probably the throw because it set the tone and plus India hit the home run and, so it took a run off the board."
 
On having the momentum for most of the game…
"Especially from the offensive standpoint, we just kept coming with competitive at-bats and getting some really clutch two-out hits."