Building Champions
 (#1) Texas A&M 7, Wright State 6

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Feb. 21, 2009

Final Stats

Final Stats (PDF)

COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Kevin Gonzalez's walk-off two-out RBI single capped a late rally and lifted No. 1 Texas A&M to a 7-6 win Saturday afternoon over Wright State in the first game of a doubleheader at Olsen Field.

The Aggies (2-0) had trailed 6-3 entering the bottom of the seventh before scoring the final four runs of the game to earn the victory.

Nick Fleece cut the lead to one with a two-out, two-run single to left in the seventh, and Adam Smith hit a solo home run just inside the foul pole in right in the eighth--his second round-tripper of the year--to tie the game.

In the ninth, Kyle Colligan drew a one-out walk, and the next batter, Luke Anders, lined a double over the head of right fielder Kyle Mossbarger to put two in scoring position. After WSU reliever Michael Schum got Fleece to pop out to shallow right, Gonzalez delivered the game-winner on the first pitch of the at-bat.

Junior Shane Minks (1-0) earned the win in relief for Texas A&M, allowing no hits and one walk in 1 2/3 scoreless innings. Schum (0-1) took the loss for the Raiders, allowing five hits and four runs (two earned) in 3 1/3 innings.

Wright State took the initial lead in the top of the second, scoring an unearned run off A&M starter Barret Loux courtesy a passed ball.

A&M took a 2-1 lead with a pair of runs in the last of the third on an RBI single by Brodie Greene and a sacrifice fly by Colligan.

 

 

The Raiders tied the game in the fifth on a two-out single to right by Jeff Mercer. The next batter, Casey McGrew, followed with a double off the base of the wall in left that looked good enough to score Mercer. Left fielder Brooks Raley, however, played the hop perfectly and threw a strike to shortstop Adam Smith, who relayed the ball home to catcher Joe Patterson to tag McGrew out on a bang-bang play at the plate and keep the game tied.

Third baseman Caleb Shofner gave A&M a 3-2 lead in the bottom half of the frame after launching his first home run of the season, and second of his career, over the fence in right.

Wright State would build the 6-3 lead with four runs in the sixth inning.

After a quick first out, the Raiders chased Loux with a single and a walk. Mossbarger, the first batter to face reliever Kyle Thebeau, doubled into the corner in right to drive home Aaron Fields and tie the game. Kory Twede then cued a 1-2 pitch to the right side of the infield to score Gerald Ogrinc and give WSU the lead. R.J. Gundolff and Mercer would tack on RBI singles in the frame to make the score 6-3.

A&M threatened in the last of the sixth but could not score, loading the bases with one out before Schum got a double-play ball to end the inning.

Loux lasted 5 1/3 innings and gave up four hits, four runs (three earned) and three walks while striking out seven.

Wright State starter Rylan Ostrosky went 5 1/3 and allowed four hits and three runs. He walked three while fanning four.

The Aggies were paced at the plate by two-hit efforts off the bats of Raley and Luke Anders. Shofner scored a game-high three runs.

Gundolff led all hitters with a 3-for-5 effort, driving in one and scoring twice.

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