Aggies Set SEC Win Streak Mark

Saturday, March 21

Hoover, AL

1:00 PM

Texas A&M

24-0, 5-0

Alabama

12-9, 2-3

Texas A&M

Alabama

Mar 21, 2015 | Baseball

Box Score

By: Texas A&M Athletics

HOOVER, Alabama – The Texas A&M Aggies scored seven runs in the last two innings to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat in a 10-5 win over the Alabama Crimson Tide at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in the lid lifter of a Saturday doubleheader.

The win was the 24th in a row for the Aggies, breaking the SEC record of 23 set by LSU in 2008. It is just the sixth win streak of 20 or more games in SEC history.

The victory improved A&M's record to 24-0 on the season, the second-longest win streak to start a campaign in school history. The foundation trails only the 26-0 start in 1989 when the Aggies went on to finish 58-7.

Trailing 5-3, the Aggies put up four runs in the eighth to claim their first lead of the game. Blake Kopetsky and Hunter Melton drew back-to-back walks to start the frame and GR Hinsley put down a sacrifice bunt to push both runners into scoring position.

The Crimson Tide responded by summoning closer Thomas Burrows. Burrows hit Blake Allemand with his first pitch to load the bases. Ryne Birk laced a single through the right side of the infield and Mitchell Nau hit a single off the glove of the rightfielder down the line, each driving in a run to tie the game. Nick Banks broke the tie, drawing a five-pitch walk to plate Allemand. The Aggies scored their last run in the frame when Logan Taylor grounded to second base too slowly to roll a double play, and A&M owned a 7-5 advantage.

Texas A&M (5-0 SEC) tacked three more runs on in the ninth inning. Kopetsky reached on an infield single and was replaced at first by pinch-runner Nick Choruby. With the hit-and-run on, Melton singled through the right side to put runners on the corners. Hinsley doubled down the rightfield line to send Choruby home and Allemand scored Melton with a single up the middle. The cavalcade of runs was capped off when Alabama shortstop Mikey White was unable to field a grounder by Michael Barash, scoring Hinsley for the 10-5 lead.

Alabama (12-9, 2-1 SEC) drew first blood in the home half of the first inning. The Tide needed just two pitches to break the scoring seal. Chandler Avant slapped a first-pitch offering into centerfield for a single and Georgie Salem hit the next pitch to the warning track in leftfield for an RBI double. Two fly balls scored Salem with White's advancing him to third and Casey Hughston's plating him for the 2-0 lead.

Texas A&M trimmed a run off the lead in the top of the fourth inning. Nau started the frame by threading a single through the right side of the infield and Banks followed by bouncing a single through the left side. Taylor pushed both runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt and Ronnie Gideon knocked in Nau with a sacrifice fly to centerfield.

The Crimson Tide offered an immediate response in the home half of the fourth. Chance Vincent stroked a single to leftfield and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Will Haynie. Daniel Cucjen punched a first-pitch service to the gap in left-center for an RBI double. With two outs, Alabama capitalized on an Aggie error to send Cucjen home. Avant sent a trickler to second base for a single and an errant throw by Birk allowed Cucjen to round third and motor to the plate for the 4-1 lead.

The Aggies rallied for two runs in the top of fifth. Melton worked a six-pitch walk and moved second on a sacrifice bunt. Allemand singled to centerfield to put runners on the corners. With Birk batting, Alabama starting pitcher Will Carter uncorked pitch allowing Melton to score and Allemand hustled to take two bags, winding up on third. Birk hit a slow roller to second base, pushing Allemand across to cut the Tide advantage to 4-3.

Alabama turned an Aggie run into an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth. White led off the frame by chopping a grounder to the hot corner. McLendon was unable to field the ball cleanly giving the Tide a leadoff runner. With one out, White stole second base and he came home to score on a single to centerfield by Kyle Overstreet, giving Alabama a 5-3 cushion.

Kyle Simonds (2-0) earned the win in relief with a 5.0-inning performance. He allowed one unearned run on two hits while striking out four.

It marked the first time on the season Matt Kent didn't earn a win for the Aggies. Kent, who entered the game 5-0, allowed four runs, three earned, on six hits and one walk while striking out on in 4.0 innings.

Burrows (0-3) was saddled with the loss for Alabama. He allowed five runs, four earned, on five hits and one walk in 0.2 of an inning. Carter went 5.2 innings in the start, allowing three runs on eight hits and three walks.

The Aggies outhit the Crimson Tide, 16-8, with Nau accounting for three and Allemand, Birk, Banks and Kopetsky adding two apiece.

The nightcap of the doubleheader and series finale started at 4:50 pm.