COLLEGE STATION, Texas — The No. 15 Texas A&M Aggies gave up an early lead and dropped their second straight game to the No. 1 LSU Tigers, 12- 7 Saturday afternoon on Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park.
The Aggies (13-6, 0-2 SEC) put together a 4-0 lead through the first three frames, but the advantage was quickly stripped away when the Tigers (18-1, 2-0 SEC) scored six times with two outs in the fourth inning to go-ahead. The Maroon & White answered by pushing one run across in the bottom of the sixth to keep LSU within one, 6-5.
However, a three-run homer an inning later by LSU freshman Jared Jones opened the game up and the Tigers scored three more times in the seventh to ice it. Jones finished the game with four hits and a game-high seven RBI for LSU.
Aggie starter Troy Wansing struck out four and did not give up a run but lasted just 2.2 innings after throwing 76 pitches and issuing six free passes. Evan Aschenbeck relieved him and worked out of a jam in the third but allowed half of the six runs an inning later. Reliever Matt Dillard took the loss to fall to 0-2 on the year.
LSU reliever Garrett Edwards picked up his third win of the year with 3.1 innings of work out of the pen in relief of starter Ty Floyd.
TOP AGGIE PERFORMERS
Jack Moss – 2-for-4, 1 R, BB
Hunter Haas – 3-for-5, 2B, RBI
Jace LaViolette – 1-for-2, 2 R, RBI, 2B, 2 BB
GAME SUMMARY
B2| TAMU 4, LSU 0
Austin Bost hit a leadoff single to left field and advanced to second when Ryan Targac went to base on balls. Kaeden Kent singled to score Bost and put Ags on the corners. Hank Bard sent a missile over the LSU second baseman to plate Targac.
B3| TAMU 4, LSU 0
With an out, Jack Moss singled to left field. LSU pitcher, Ty Floyd, errored while attempting to get an out off a fielder’s choice which in turn allowed Moss to get on second and Bost to reach first. Targac was hit by a pitch to load the bases and Kent grounded out to first base to score Bost.
T4| LSU 6, TAMU 4
Back-to-back singles by Jordan Thompson and Brady Neal put two Tigers on base with no outs. Tre’ Morgan grounded out advancing both and the bases loaded on a Dylan Crews walk. With two outs, four Tigers in a row hit safely scoring six with RBIs by Tommy White, Gavin Dugas, Josh Pearson and Jared Jones.
B4| LSU 6, TAMU 5
Jace LaViolette rounded the bases on a walk, passed ball and a fly out. Kasen Wells grounded out to plate Laviolette.
T6| LSU 9, TAMU 5
White hit a leadoff double and Dugas was hit by a pitch to put the Tigers in scoring position and they both advanced on a wild pitch. Jones homered to left field to clear the bases.
B6| LSU 9, TAMU 6
LaViolette lead off with a walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch and went to third on a Wells groundout. Hunter Haas singled through the middle to bring LaViolette home.
T7| LSU 12, TAMU 6
Morgan reached first on an error and advanced to second on a Crews single. White followed hitting another single scoring Morgan and putting the Tigers on either side of the diamond. Dugas walked to load the bases and a Jones single scored two more.
UP NEXT
The Texas A&M Aggies wrap up the series with LSU Sunday at 1 p.m. on Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park.
TEXAS A&M QUOTES
Head Coach Jim Schlossnagle
On today’s pitching struggle…
“11 walks. I can’t remember a time where I’ve been part of a pitching staff that walked 11 guys. Troy Wansing pitched out the jam and I thought he might catch fire. He was the perfect pitcher to match up to the team we played today and then everybody after him, it was our inability to throw strikes. The guys we didn’t walk, we pitched from behind in the count and let a really good team back in the ball game.”
