SCORE: Texas A&M 4, Alabama 3
RUNDOWN: Alabama took an early 3-0 lead on Aggies ace Grayson Long, getting and RBI double from Cody Henry and RBI singles from J.C. Wilhite and Kyle Overstreet.
After a two-out walk in the third, A&M got three after that. Ryne Birk had an RBI double, Mitchell Nau singled in a run and Logan Taylor doubled in a run.
Nick Banks‘ RBI single in the eighth gave A&M a 4-3 lead.
The Aggies (44-10) took the lead for good in the eighth. Alabama (31-27) left the bases loaded in the ninth.
KEY MOMENT: Will Haynie got a big 2-out single in the ninth, but A&M left fielder Logan Taylor gunned out pinch-runner Daniel Cucjen at the plate for the second out. After a HBP, Alabama’s Chandler Avant flied out to center to end the game.
CLUTCH HITTER: No one had more than one hit, but Banks’ RBI single gave the Aggies the win.
DIAMOND ACE: Texas A&M starter Grayson Long didn’t factor into the decision, but still struck out 10 Alabama hitters through six innings. He struck out 14 earlier this season against Alabama.
COACH SPEAK
“I think you’ve got to send him there. (Will) Haynie gets the big hit in the 8-hole and you’ve got the 9-hole coming up. Absolutely, they’ve got to make a play in my eyes in that situation and that’s where you tip your hat. The guy threw a strike to the plate. It’s a bang-bang play. That’s an easy call to second guess. You hold them up and you’re sitting there going why didn’t we send them? Absolutely, you send them in that situation.” – Alabama’s Mitch Gaspard on the ninth-inning decision by third base coach Andy Phillips to send runner Daniel Cucjen, who was thrown out at the plate.
“He’s extremely competitive and refuses to lose. He really wanted the ball in Game 1 of this tournament and he didn’t disappoint. It’s been a special year for him, and he had a special performance today on short rest.” – TAMU coach Rob Childress.
PLAYER SPEAK
“Coming out after last week wasn’t a good quality start, just worked on pitching a lot more and getting more break on my pitches. In the third inning, I was leaving pitches up and I was heavy on my breaking balls, they took advantage of it.” – Alabama pitcher Jake Walters on his start and TAMU’s 3-run third.
“I just tried to field it clean first and then throw a strike at home. It was big-time.” TAMU’s Logan Taylor on his throw home to get Alabama’s Cucjen.
WHAT’S NEXT: On Thursday, Alabama plays an elimination game at 9:30 a.m. against Missouri. Texas A&M plays Vanderbilt at 4:30 p.m.
