Spring Break
Baseball team takes series with walk-off win against Utah
By: Michael Sullivan
Issue date: 3/9/09 Section: Sports
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The win earned the Aggies the 2-1 series win against the Utes and improved the record to 11-3 overall in 2009.
A&M fell into an 1-0 hole after freshman second baseman Nick Anders committed back-to-back fielding errors with two outs in the top of the first inning. In the bottom of the first, junior outfielder Dylan Petrich answered the Utes with the first of six Aggie homeruns, tying the game at 1-1.
In the bottom of the second inning, Caleb Shofner gave the Aggies the lead after hitting his third homerun of the season.
Sophomore Barrett Loux started the game for the Aggies. Loux struck out a career high 10 batters, did not walk a batter for the first time in his career, and allowed a total of five batters to reach base in five innings of work. Loux allowed two runs, one earned, and struck out two batters in four consecutive innings.
In the sixth inning, Loux turned the game over to senior reliever Kyle Thebeau with a 5-2 Aggie lead and in line for his first decision of the season. But the A&M bullpen was unable to maintain the lead.
Holding on to a 8-3 lead in the top of the eighth inning, the Utes scored three runs to narrow the gap to 8-6. The Aggies responded with a two-run home run by senior first baseman Luke Anders in the bottom half of the inning, improving the lead to 10-6.
The home was Anders' 30th of his career, tying him for sixth place all-time in career home runs.
Defensive errors and a struggling bullpen plagued A&M in the top of the ninth inning. Aggie relievers Shane Minks, Tyler Dyer, Travis Starling and Ross Stripling gave up two hits and five runs, three of them earned to give the Utes their first lead of the game, 11-10.
Before the ninth inning, Aggie pitchers had combined for 36 strikeouts and had walked three batters in the series. Freshman shortstop Adam Smith, who did not start the game, recorded two errors in the inning. A&M had six errors in the game.
"There was no doubt, no question, that we were going to come back and win the game," said A&M Head Coach Rob Childress.
"There wasn't any panic. I told them after the game that you can't be hoping, you have to expect that you're going to come back and win this game."
In the bottom of the ninth inning, the Aggies loaded the bases after back-to-back singles by designated hitter Brett Parsons and Smith, and the Utes intentionally walking shortstop Brody Greene.
After center fielder Kyle Colligan popped out to the catcher, sophomore outfielder Brooks Raley took a full-count walk to score Parsons from third to tie the game.
"At 3-2, I try to keep the pressure off me and put it on [the pitcher]," Raley said. "[I was trying] to make him throw me a good pitch."
With the score tied at 11-11, Dylan Petrich approached the plate for his sixth at bat of the afternoon. Like Raley, Petrich took a walk, allowing the winning run to cross the plate.
"I'm glad there was some stress, and there was some fight, and that our team showed some toughness," Childress said. "That to me is more important than winning 10-1."
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