Designated hitter Andrew Nettune went 3-for-4 with four RBI and two runs scored to lead the Plowboys to a 9-4 win over the Farmers
FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE
Designated hitter Andrew Nettune went 3-for-4 with four RBI and two runs scored to lead the Plowboys to a 9-4 win over the Farmers Thursday afternoon in the opening game of the Aggie Baseball Fall World Series at Olsen Field.
Nettune, a redshirt freshman from Athens, Texas, drove in a pair with a two-out double to cap off a five-run fifth for the Plowboys. He then added a two-run home run off the scoreboard in left center in the last of the seventh.
Junior third baseman Nick Anders (College Station, Texas) added three hits and a pair of RBI for the Plowboys, who took a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five series.
The visiting Farmers opened the scoring in the top of the third. Freshman right fielder Ross Hales (Baytown, Texas) opened the frame with a double to right center. One out later, pitcher Brooks Raley (Uvalde, Texas) singled up the middle off his counterpart, Kyle Thebeau, to give the Farmers a 1-0 lead.
Anders would tie the game in the bottom of the frame when he drove Nettune in from third with a two-out single to right.
Junior catcher Joe Patterson (Tulsa, Okla.) would regain the lead for the farmers, as he doubled in senior first baseman Luke Anders (College Station, Texas) and junior left fielder Dylan Petrich (Wichita, Kan.) with a shot down the line in right in the fourth inning to make the score 3-1.
The Plowboys again answered, pulling within one in the bottom of the frame on a solo home run to left by freshman shortstop Adam Smith, his second of the fall.
A five-run fifth would give the Plowboys the lead for good and chase Raley from the game. Senior center fielder Kyle Colligan (Houston, Texas) led off the inning with a double, and moved to third when the ball was fumbled in the outfield. Freshman Scott Arthur (Spring, Texas) followed with a chopper to second that tied the game, but the throw to first was wide to allow the Plowboys’ second baseman to reach safely and move into scoring position.
Nick Anders followed with an RBI triple to the gap in right center, and sophomore first baseman Nick Fleece (Fort Worth, Texas) drove him home with a sacrifice fly to right to make the score 5-3. Five batters later, Nettune’s double gave the Plowboys a 7-3 lead.
The Farmers threatened to get back in the game in the seventh, as Hales led off with a double to left center. Following a groundout, Thebeau then hit the next two batters to load the bases. The senior bounced back, however, fanning Luke Anders and Petrich to end the threat. Nettune would then add his home run in the bottom half of the inning to make the score 9-3.
Raley drove in his second run of the afternoon in the eighth, beating out a grounder to first with the bases loaded to drive in Patterson and close out the scoring.
Three Farmers–Patterson, Hales and senior third baseman Jordan Chambless (Corpus Christi, Texas)–each tallied three hits on the afternoon to pace the team’s 13-hit attack.
Thebeau (Corpus Christi, Texas) picked up the win, lasting seven innings and allowing 10 hits and three earned runs while walking one, hitting three and striking out five. Junior Chad Sherman (Bullard, Texas) pitched the final two innings and gave up three hits and one earned one while walking three and fanning a pair.
Raley suffered the loss, giving up eight hits and seven runs (four earned) through 4 2/3 innings of work. The sophomore walked four and struck out five. Freshman Denny Clement (Bartlesville, Okla.) followed with 1 1/3 innings of one hit, shutout relief, while freshman Ross Stripling (Southlake, Texas) tossed the final two innings and gave up Nettune’s home run while fanning four.
Game two of the five-game series is set for Friday at 3 p.m. at Olsen Field. Redshirt junior Alex Wilson (Hurricane, W.Va.) will try to even the series on the mound for the Farmers, while junior Clayton Ehlert (Orange, Texas) will start for the Plowboys. Admission is free and fans are encouraged to attend.
FALL WORLD SERIES SCHEDULE:
Game 1 (Thu., Oct. 23): Plowboys 9, Farmers 4
Game 2: Friday, Oct. 24, 3 p.m.
Game 3: Monday, Oct. 27, 3 p.m.
Game 4: Tuesday, Oct. 28, 3 p.m.
Game 5: Wednesday, Oct. 29, 6 p.m.
