Scott Stricklin
Third-ranked Texas A&M improved to 18-1 at home this year with a 5-0 win over Georgia Friday in front of a Blue Bell Park crowd of 6,322.
The Aggies (23-7, 5-5 SEC) broke through against Robert Tyler and the Bulldogs in the fourth frame, scoring three runs on three hits. Michael Barash brought in the first run with a base hit, scoring Hunter Melton, who was on with a leadoff double. Two walks later, shortstop Austin Homan made it 3-0 with a two-run single. Georgia (17-14, 4-6 SEC) looked to senior Heath Holder, who got the Bulldogs out of further trouble with a strikeout and started an inning-ending double play.
The support was plenty for sophomore right-hander Brigham Hill (4-0) who went 6.1 scoreless innings before giving way to senior Andrew Vinson as they combined to limit Georgia to three hits. Hill left with two on, and one out, and Vinson preserved the shutout. Meanwhile, Tyler entered the contest with a 1.35 ERA in league action, allowing just three runs on three hits in 20 innings. However, the Aggies collected three runs on six hits in four innings off him. They were aided by four walks as Tyler dropped to 3-2.
Texas A&M made it 4-0 in the sixth inning on a solo home run by junior left fielder Walker Pennington. A sacrifice fly by Melton in the seventh provided a 5-0 advantage. Holder went three innings and allowed two runs on one hit with three walks and three strikeouts. Mike Mancuso pitched the eighth for the Bulldogs.
“We have to win the one-on-one battles, and we didn’t tonight,” Georgia coach Scott Stricklin said. “They’re a top five ball club, and you have to play well to beat them, and we didn’t. We had eight walks and struck out 10 ten times. We need to be more aggressive especially when you’re on the road against a top five opponent. We need to play cleaner baseball.”
Georgia sophomore left fielder Keegan McGovern drew his team-leading 28th walk in the ninth to extend his on-base streak to 22 games. Senior shortstop Nick King extended his hitting streak to a career-best seven games with a single in his first at-bat. Junior Skyler Weber and freshman LJ Talley had Georgia’s other two hits on the night. Vinson pitched the final 2.2 innings to collect his first save.
The series continues Saturday with first pitch slated for 2:02 p.m. ET.