Spring Break
Cougars pounce on Aggies
2 home runs lead Houston to defeat A&M 9-2 at Olsen Field
By: Brad Cox
Issue date: 4/8/09 Section: Sports
|
The Aggies used seven pitchers and failed to record a hit in the first four innings of a 9-2 midweek loss to Houston.
"It was a disappointing night," said A&M Head Coach Rob Childress. "We got beat in every area: pitching, defense and definitely offensively."
A&M fell to 20-12 overall, losing its fourth midweek game of the season. The four losses are the most since the Aggies lost six
midweek games in 2001.
The Cougars improved to 15-17 overall and have won eight consecutive games since starting the season 7-17.
"They're playing with a lot more confidence right now," Childress said. "They've kind of got things figured out on the pitching side of things."
Junior right-hander Chad Sherman received the loss after giving up four early runs in his third start of the season.
Sherman gave up a two-run home run to Cougars' junior catcher Chris Wallace in his third and final inning of work. Wallace was playing in his fifth game since returning to Houston's lineup from an injury suffered on March 1 when A&M sophomore pitcher Barrett Loux hit Wallace in the face with a fastball.
Cougars' freshman right-hander Mo Wiley earned the win, pitching 5.1 innings and giving up three hits and no runs. He held the Aggies hitless until the fifth inning.
"The whole key to the game was Mo Wiley," Childress said. "He did an outstanding job. He didn't allow us to get back into the game."
When the hits did start falling, A&M struggled to bring runners home. The Aggies stranded nine base runners in the final five innings. Paired with Houston scoring in all but three innings, A&M could not catch up.
The Aggies rallied for two late runs in the ninth inning thanks to an RBI single by junior pinch hitter Dylan Petrich and a two-out, two-runners-on error by Cougars' junior right fielder William Kankel. But the Cougars' lead was too big and the game ended when senior first baseman Luke Anders flew out to right field, ending a 1-for-5 night for the veteran.
"It's about getting that chip back on your shoulder," Childress said. "That's what we're founded on. That's what our program is all about is playing with a lot of toughness and I didn't see that tonight."
A&M will travel to Manhattan, Kan., Thursday for a rare Thursday-Friday-Saturday series against Kansas State. The Aggies are tied for second place in the Big 12 with a 7-5 record and the Wildcats are in fourth place with a 5-4 record. A&M lost the road series to Kansas State in 2005.
"They will compete and get after it and play hard," Childress said. "We've got to go up there and be ready to play."
Be sure to include your name, major, and class year. Submissions without this information are subject to deletion.
By submitting a comment, you agree to thebatt.com's Terms of Use.
You may also send a Mail Call to The Battalion at mailcall@thebatt.com