Baseball Eliminated At SEC Tournament In 4-1 Loss To Texas A&M
May 26, 2016
HOOVER, Ala. – Texas A&M struck for three runs in the top of the second inning and added an unearned run in the ninth inning on the way to a 4-1 win over South Carolina in an elimination game at the SEC Baseball Tournament. The Aggies improved to 42-14 with the Gamecocks now 42-15 on the year.
Texas A&M starter Brigham Hill earned the win and is now 8-1 on the year. He allowed one run, unearned, on five hits in seven innings with three walks and eight strikeouts. Aggies reliever Mark Ecker pitched a perfect ninth for his fifth save of the season. South Carolina freshman right-hander Braden Webb suffered the loss. He is 10-5 for the season. Webb allowed three runs on six hits in 6.2 innings with two walks and eight strikeouts.
The Aggies scored three runs in the second inning on the back of three consecutive hits. With one out and Ryne Birk on second base, Nick Banks bounced a RBI single into left field to score the first run of the game. That was followed by a RBI double off the bat of Michael Barash and a RBI single from Jonathan Moroney to give the Aggies a 3-0 lead.
A pair of Aggie errors would lead to the first run for the Gamecocks in the bottom of the third inning. Gene Cone walked with one out and the Gamecocks executed a perfect hit and run as Marcus Mooney singled to right field. On the Mooney base hit, A&M right fielder Nicks Banks bobbled the base hit allowing Cone to score and cutting the deficit to 3-1. It would remain that way until the ninth inning when a failed pickoff led to a two-out RBI base hit from Austin Homan to give the Aggies a three-run cushion.
GAME CHANGER
The three-run second inning was all the Aggies needed on the way to a win.
KEY STAT
Carolina was limited to just five singles in the contest.
NOTABLES
• Three Gamecocks have seven-game hitting streaks. Marcus Mooney’s third inning base hit extended his hitting streak to seven games, the longest of the season. He has also reached base in 11 straight contests. Gene Cone has reached base in nine straight games and has a seven-game hitting streak. Cone was 1-for-2 with two walks and a run scored. Jonah Bride also had a base hit and owns a season-long seven-game hitting streak.
• Madison Stokes extended his hitting streak to five games, tying a season-high. He has reached base in six straight games.
UP NEXT
South Carolina awaits word on the NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament field to be announced. The 16 Regional hosts will be announced starting at 8:30 p.m. (ET) on Sunday May 29 on the NCAA Baseball Social Media Channels @NCAACWS and https://www.facebook.com/NCAACWS. The 2016 NCAA Division I Baseball Championship Selection Show, with regional pairings, will be revealed in a live, one-hour telecast on ESPNU at Noon (ET), Monday, May 30.
