
Photo by: Patrick Meredith
Aggies Drop Series Opener at Auburn
May 14, 2021 | Baseball
AUBURN, Alabama – The Texas A&M Aggies dropped game one of the series at Auburn, 5-4, Friday night on Hitchcock Field at Plainsman Park.
Auburn drew first blood in the first inning on a Rankin Woley solo home run, before the Aggies plated a run in the top of the second on a Kalae Harrison sacrifice fly. Taylor Smith gave A&M the lead in the top of the third as the junior blasted his sixth dinger of the year, a two-run shot, putting the Maroon & White ahead 3-1.
The Tigers responded with a run in the fourth, and took the lead in the seventh on a bases-loaded sacrifice fly. After Auburn added an insurance run in the eighth, Ray Alejo lasered a ninth-inning solo shot to right center for his third homer this year.
Offensively, the Aggies were led by Alejo, who posted his 17th multi-hit game of the season. The Orlando, Florida, native went 3-for-5 with a home run and a pair of singles. Smith added a home run, and Will Frizzell tallied his 12th double of the campaign.
Dustin Saenz was saddled with the loss to move to 5-6 on the season. The southpaw allowed four runs on five hits and a pair of walks while striking out six. Chandler Jozwiak threw 2.0 innings in relief. The Brenham, Texas, native yielded a run on two hits and a walk, and fanned two.
The Maroon & White fell to 27-24 (7-18 SEC) on the year, while the Tigers improved to 21-24 (7-18 SEC) on the season.
TOP AGGIE PERFORMERS
Ray Alejo – 3-for-5, HR, RBI
Taylor Smith – 1-for-4, HR, 2 RBI
Dustin Saenz – 6.0 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 6 K
GAME SUMMARY
B1 | Auburn broke the scoring seal on a solo home run to left center by Rankin Woley. AU 1, A&M 0
T2 | Mikey Hoehner roped a one-out single to right and moved to third on a Ty Coleman single to right center. Kalae Harrison plated Hoehner on a sacrifice fly to left. A&M 1, AU 1
T3 | Jordan Thompson singled on a 0-2 pitch to right, before Taylor Smith belted a two-run homer to left. A&M 3, AU 1
B3 | Ryan Bliss cut in to the Aggie lead with a solo home run to left. A&M 3, AU 2
B4 | Steven Williams reached on a single through the right side and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Brody Moore doubled to right, allowing Williams to touch home. A&M 3, AU 3
B7 | The Tigers loaded the bases on a Cam Hill walk, Ryan Dyal single and a Judd Ward hit by pitch. Bliss sent a high fly ball to left, driving in Garrett Farquhar, who pinch ran for Hill, on a sacrifice fly. AU 4, A&M 3
B8 | Auburn added an insurance run on a Dyal bases-loaded walk. AU 5, A&M 3
T9 | With two outs, Ray Alejo provided a spark to the Aggie offense with a solo home run to right center. AU 5, A&M 4
UP NEXT
The Aggies and Tigers reconvene on Hitchcock Field at Plainsman Park for game two of the series Saturday at 2:02 p.m.
Auburn drew first blood in the first inning on a Rankin Woley solo home run, before the Aggies plated a run in the top of the second on a Kalae Harrison sacrifice fly. Taylor Smith gave A&M the lead in the top of the third as the junior blasted his sixth dinger of the year, a two-run shot, putting the Maroon & White ahead 3-1.
The Tigers responded with a run in the fourth, and took the lead in the seventh on a bases-loaded sacrifice fly. After Auburn added an insurance run in the eighth, Ray Alejo lasered a ninth-inning solo shot to right center for his third homer this year.
Offensively, the Aggies were led by Alejo, who posted his 17th multi-hit game of the season. The Orlando, Florida, native went 3-for-5 with a home run and a pair of singles. Smith added a home run, and Will Frizzell tallied his 12th double of the campaign.
Dustin Saenz was saddled with the loss to move to 5-6 on the season. The southpaw allowed four runs on five hits and a pair of walks while striking out six. Chandler Jozwiak threw 2.0 innings in relief. The Brenham, Texas, native yielded a run on two hits and a walk, and fanned two.
The Maroon & White fell to 27-24 (7-18 SEC) on the year, while the Tigers improved to 21-24 (7-18 SEC) on the season.
TOP AGGIE PERFORMERS
Ray Alejo – 3-for-5, HR, RBI
Taylor Smith – 1-for-4, HR, 2 RBI
Dustin Saenz – 6.0 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 6 K
GAME SUMMARY
B1 | Auburn broke the scoring seal on a solo home run to left center by Rankin Woley. AU 1, A&M 0
T2 | Mikey Hoehner roped a one-out single to right and moved to third on a Ty Coleman single to right center. Kalae Harrison plated Hoehner on a sacrifice fly to left. A&M 1, AU 1
T3 | Jordan Thompson singled on a 0-2 pitch to right, before Taylor Smith belted a two-run homer to left. A&M 3, AU 1
B3 | Ryan Bliss cut in to the Aggie lead with a solo home run to left. A&M 3, AU 2
B4 | Steven Williams reached on a single through the right side and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Brody Moore doubled to right, allowing Williams to touch home. A&M 3, AU 3
B7 | The Tigers loaded the bases on a Cam Hill walk, Ryan Dyal single and a Judd Ward hit by pitch. Bliss sent a high fly ball to left, driving in Garrett Farquhar, who pinch ran for Hill, on a sacrifice fly. AU 4, A&M 3
B8 | Auburn added an insurance run on a Dyal bases-loaded walk. AU 5, A&M 3
T9 | With two outs, Ray Alejo provided a spark to the Aggie offense with a solo home run to right center. AU 5, A&M 4
UP NEXT
The Aggies and Tigers reconvene on Hitchcock Field at Plainsman Park for game two of the series Saturday at 2:02 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Skipper, Carson (2-2)
L: Saenz, Dustin (5-6)

Batting:
2B: Frizzell, Will 1
HR: Alejo, Ray 1 ; Smith, Taylor 1
RBI: Alejo, Ray 1 ; Smith, Taylor 2 ; Harrison, Kalae 1
SF: Harrison, Kalae 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Alejo, Ray 1 ; Sartori, Logan 1 ; Smith, Taylor 1 ; Hoehner, Mikey 1
SB: Alejo, Ray 1 ; Coleman, Ty 1
HBP: Thompson, Jordan 1

Batting:
2B: Moore, Brody 1
HR: Bliss, Ryan 1 ; Woley, Rankin 1
RBI: Bliss, Ryan 2 ; Woley, Rankin 1 ; Moore, Brody 1 ; Dyal, Ryan 1
SH: Williams, Steven 1 ; Howell, Kason 1
SF: Bliss, Ryan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Bliss, Ryan 1 ; Woley, Rankin 2 ; Williams, Steven 1 ; Farquhar, Garrett 1
HBP: Howell, Kason 1 ; Ward, Judd 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
Players Mentioned
LSU Postgame: Michael Earley, Jace Laviolette, Clayton Freshcorn
Friday, May 23
Highlights: A&M 3, LSU 4
Friday, May 23
Auburn Postgame: Michael Earley, Justin Lamkin, Kaeden Kent
Thursday, May 22
Highlights: Texas A&M 3, Auburn 2
Thursday, May 22