Issue date: 3/5/09 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Jon Eilts Junior second baseman Brodie Greene fields a ground ball Wednesday against Stephen F. Austin. The Aggies won 8-3. [Click to enlarge]

The No. 7 Texas A&M baseball team defeated Stephen F. Austin 8-3 Wednesday for the sweep thanks to freshman Ross Hales' career-high nine strikeouts.

In Hales' second start, he allowed one run, three hits and one walk.

"On any other staff and any other year, if I told you he was our Sunday starter I would say I would feel pretty good about that," said A&M Head Coach Rob Childress. "To be able to run him out there on a Tuesday or a Wednesday, that's a luxury that we are not going to see very often."

Hales said he was confident with one of the strongest bullpens in the nation backing him up.

"I felt a lot more comfortable on the mound," Hales said. "I was a little nervous the first time as a freshman."

The Aggies put eight runs and 10 hits on the board because of two RBIs each by sophomore right fielder Brooks Raley, sophomore designated hitter Brett Parsons, and sophomore third baseman Caleb Shofner.

Parsons had his first home run in his Aggie career in the second inning, giving the Aggies a 2-0 lead.

"Coach has been stressing being comfortable and confident," Parsons said. "That has been the main part of whenever you get an opportunity to take advantage of it and just be relaxed and comfortable up at the plate and that's what I did."

The win moves A&M to 9-2 and the Lumberjacks to 3-6. A&M will face 4-4 Utah Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Olsen Field.

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