March 20, 2010

Final Stats |  Notes  |   Postgame

COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Texas A&M's Broadie Green blasted a two-out RBI triple to right field in the bottom of the eighth to give the No. 23 Aggies a 5-4 series-clinching win over Texas Tech on a cold and windy Saturday evening at Olsen Field.

The loss drops Texas Tech to 8-12 on the season (0-2 in Big 12 play) and pushes Tech's losing skid to eight games, the longest such streak since 1987. Texas A&M clinches this series and improves to 15-3 overall and to 2-0 in Big 12 play.

With the game tied at 4-4 and two outs in the bottom of the eighth, the Aggies went to work as Scott Arthur reached on a single to left and then Broadie Greene drove him home with an RBI triple to right that gave the Aggies a 5-4 lead. The triple was the second of the evening for Greene and he finished the night 3-for-5 at the plate.

All five of Texas A&M's runs were scored with two outs and the Aggies staked an early 2-0 lead in the bottom half of the second. Aggie left fielder Adam Smith drove in the first run with a single through the left side and right fielder Tyler Naquin finished out the scoring with an RBI double down the left field line.

Texas Tech came roaring back in the top of the third when senior center fielder Taylor Ashby reached on a leadoff single and then sophomore catcher Kevin Whitehead blasted a two-run home run to right that tied the game at 2-2. Tech wasn't done in the inning as senior left fielder Michael Reed drove in a run with a double to center and gave the Red Raiders a 3-2 lead.

Tech gave the lead back to the Aggies in the fifth when Reed let a ball land right in front of him with two outs in the frame and that jumpstarted a two-run outburst for A&M. Designated hitter Joe Patterson drove in the tying run with a single and then Tech starter Bobby Doran walked Kevin Gonzalez with the bases loaded to give the Aggies a 4-3 advantage.

A fielding error by A&M right fielder Adam Smith allowed Tech to tie the game at 4-4 with two outs in the top of the seventh. Smith dropped a deep fly ball at the wall by Jamodrick McGruder that allowed Ashby to score all the way from first.

Jay Johnson was charged with the loss for Texas Tech after giving up one run on five hits over 2 2/3 innings. Michael Wacha (3-0) picked up the win in relief for Texas A&M as he held the Red Raiders to just one run and didn't allow a single hit over three innings of work.

Texas Tech will try and salvage the series finale on Sunday afternoon when the two teams meet for a 1:05 p.m. first pitch. Junior right-hander Chad Bettis will get the start for the Red Raiders.