TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Brett Minnich provided all three Aggie RBI and the Maroon & White pitching staff had their best conference performance of the season to lead Texas A&M to a 3-2 victory over the Alabama Crimson Tide in Friday’s series opener at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.
Minnich, who batted 2-for-4 on the day, tied the game with a double in the fourth inning and put Texas A&M (16-9, 4-3 SEC) ahead with a two-run home run in the sixth.
Texas A&M pitchers allowed just one leadoff man to reach base and limited Alabama (15-12, 2-5 SEC) to 3-for-14 (.215) batting with runners on base.
Maroon & White starter Nathan Dettmer (2-2) went a season-long 6.1 innings, yielding two runs, one earned, on five hits and two walks while equaling a career high with seven strikeouts. Chris Cortez worked 1.0 scoreless inning, scattering one hit and one walk. Brad Rudis earned his second save of the season and his first in SEC play by striking out three of the five batters he faced in 1.1 innings.
Jordan Thompson batted 2-for-2 with a one double off the bench.
TOP AGGIE PERFORMERS
Brett Minnich – 2-for-4, 1 HR, 1 2B, 3 RBI, 1 R
Nathan Dettmer – 6.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K, W 2-2
Brad Rudis – 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K, Sv 2
Jordan Thompson – 2-for-2, 1 2B
UP NEXT
The Aggies and Crimson Tide continue the series Saturday at 4:02 p.m. The game airs on SEC Network.
GAME SUMMARY
B2 | Owen Diodati started the frame by threading a single through the shortstop and second baseman, both playing to the right of second. Diodati moved to second base on a ground ball by Drew Williamson and scored when Andrew Pinckney doubled over the head of the leftfielder. Bama 1, A&M 0
T4 | Dylan Rock was issued a base on balls to lead off and he scored when Brett Minnich gapped a two-out double to left-center. A&M 1, Bama 1
T6 | Jack Moss bounced the first pitch of the inning up the middle for a single. With one out, Minnich kept moon shot on the left side of the rightfield foul pole for a two-run dinger. A&M 3, Bama 1
B7 | With one out, Williamson and Pinckney both drew six-pitch walks. Jacob Palisch spelled Aggie starter Nathan Dettmer on the mound and struck out the next batter he faced. Caden Rose bounced a ball back to the mound that Palisch misplayed to load the bases. Jim Jarvis fouled off two full-count pitches before drawing ball four to push Williamson across. A&M 3, Bama 2
From Texas A&M Aggies Athletics Communications