COLLEGE STATION — After walking it off Friday, Texas A&M baseball turns its attention Saturday to capturing its first-ever series victory over Penn.
Aggies (5-0) freshman shortstop Boston Kellner blasted a misjudged ball to center field. The error by Quakers’ Ryan Taylor allowed the ball to land safely in the field of play, bringing pinch runner Sawyer Farr in from second and taking down the Quakers (0-1) in the bottom of the ninth.
While neither team’s bats were all that impressive on Friday, the pitchers’ duel was excellent. Both teams combined for only 11 hits and 18 strikeouts.
Now, A&M turns to Saturday starter Weston Moss to see whether the right-hander can duplicate Friday’s pitching performance in his second start of the season. Moss went five innings, allowing four runs on seven hits, and earned the win over Tennessee Tech last weekend.
In that game, the Aggies put up 23 runs and tallied 15 hits in the run-rule-shortened outing.
Stay tuned for updates from the action:
Smooth sailing for Moss once again as he sits the Quakers down 1-2-3. He’s up to 95 pitches on the day.
Grahovac grounded out to second before Jordan struck out looking. That was followed up by Kellner grounding out to the pitcher, and the Aggies go down 1-2-3 to end the fifth.
Moss began the top of the fifth with back-to-back strikeouts, pushing his total to six. Collins followed with a two-out double, but the Quakers did nothing with it and stranded him there.
Duer grounded out, followed by Harrison getting hit by a pitch. From there, Partida slapped a single into right-center field with two outs. Chestnut added another single that loaded the bases for Royo, who struck out swinging to end the threat.
Degnan got on board with a one-out single to left, but is stranded there as Moss gets out of the inning unscathed.
The top of the order for A&M goes down 1-2-3.
Powell slapped a lead-off single to the left side, away from the shift, but was thrown out at second while trying to steal. Secretarski followed with a single of his own to right field. A base hit that could’ve been ruled an error by Ahearn put two on with one out for the Quakers. Collins then ripped a single to left field to drive in the game’s first run.
Kiel II got the inning going with a one-out single. From there, Partida drew a four-pitch walk to put two on. Chestnut struck out swinging before Royo struck out looking to strand two.
Another quality inning for Moss, who induces a grounder followed by back-to-back strikeouts to get out of the inning 1-2-3 again.
Tough first inning for A&M’s bats as Grahovac and Jordan struck out for the first two outs. However, Kellner, batting third, hit a single past the third baseman. That was the only offense the Aggies mustered in the inning.
1-2-3 inning for Moss, who throws 14 pitches in his first inning of the day.
Where: Blue Bell Park, College Station
Reach Texas A&M beat reporter Tony Catalina via email at Anthony.Catalina@statesman.com.