Box Score
COLLEGE STATION, TX – The Winthrop baseball team dropped a 12-4 decision to the Texas A&M Aggies on Saturday afternoon at Olsen Field.
The Eagles fall to 7-2 on the season, while the Aggies record improves to 8-2 overall.
“We have to pitch better,” said head coach Joe Hudak. “We haven't played well in any phase of the game in these two games.”
Ross Stripling (3-0) earned the victory on Saturday after pitching 6.2 innings and gave up four runs (one earned) on six hits, no walks and nine strikeouts. Robert Lake (2-1) took the loss surrendering seven runs (three earned) on seven hits, two walks and two strikeouts in 3.0 innings of work.
Texas A&M got on the scoreboard first after scoring five runs in the top of the first off Lake. The inning was highlighted by a two-run double by Gregg Alcazar to center field that scored Kenny Jackson and Joaquin Hinojosa. Jackson walked in his at-bat and Hinojosa added an RBI single. Brodie Greene drove in the first run of the inning with his RBI sacrifice fly to right field that scored Andrew Collazo, who led off the inning with a walk. Joe Patterson also added an RBI single following the sacrifice fly by Greene.
The Aggies made it a 6-0 game in the third inning on Alcazar's RBI single down the right field line that scored Jackson from third. Hinojosa attempted to score on the hit, but was thrown out at home by Sean Sullivan. Jackson singled to center field earlier in the inning and moved to third after a double by Hinojosa.
Winthrop cut the Texas A&M deficit in half after scoring three runs in the top of the fourth. Chas Crane drove in Tyler Cook for the first run of the inning on his RBI single to right field and later came home on Matt Pierpont's RBI double down the left field line. Matt Thielepape came home on a balk by Stripling prior the double by Pierpont. Both Cook and Thielepape reached on an error in their at-bats.
Texas A&M responded for two more runs in the bottom of the fourth to increase its lead to 8-3 over the Eagles. Greene drove in Collazo on his RBI triple to right center field and later scored on a balk by Dom Patterozzi, who came on in relief of Lake. Collazo was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning.
The Aggies added one run in the sixth inning on Patterson's RBI single to center field scoring Arthur from second base. Arthur led off the inning with a double down the left field line.
Winthrop scored one run in the seventh inning on Cook's RBI single to center field that drove in Zak Blair from second base. Blair came into the game as a pinch-hitter for Tyler Donovan, and reached on a fielder's choice.
Texas A&M answered with three more runs in the bottom of the seventh that was sparked by a two RBI double by Shofner to left center field scoring Greene and Arthur. Arthur drove in Collazo for the first run of the seventh with his RBI double.
“I think we are a better club, obviously it is early in the year,” said Hudak. “We certainly need to play a little better and be more competitive.”
Adam Gliebe led the Eagles offensively with a 2-for-4 performance on the afternoon, while Cook, Crane and Pierpont had one RBI each. Six different Aggie hitters had two hits apiece, and Alcazar had a team-high three RBI.
Winthrop and Texas A&M will wrap up the series on Sunday, Mar. 7 with a 2:05 p.m. matchup.
