AUSTIN — A career-high 12 strikeouts from Texas A&M left handed pitcher John Doxakis and a monstrous seven-run fourth inning helped the Aggies win its first game of the NCAA Austin regional tournament. They will face the Texas Longhorns Saturday at 6 p.m.
TEXAS A&M POST GAME PRESS CONFERENCE:
INDIANA POST GAME PRESS CONFERENCE:
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NINTH INNING:
Andritsos and Shewmake both got on base to lead off the ninth inning for Texas A&M. Foster grounded into a fielder's choice, and Chandler Morris struck out swinging.
Christian Roa took the pitcher's mound for the Aggies in the bottom of the ninth to close out the game. Roa began the final frame strong with a strikeout, but Indiana's Luke Miller homered to center field in the next at bat, his second of the game. The home run dwindled the Aggies lead to 10-3. Roa forced one Indiana batter to line out to second base and secured the win with a fielder's choice on the final out.
EIGHTH INNING:
George Janca came through for the Aggies with a two-out single to add another insurance run. A pop fly by Michael Helman ended the inning for Texas A&M, leaving two Aggies on base.
Kolek struck out two Hoosiers batters in the bottom of the eighth, giving the right handed pitcher four on the day and a total of 16 for the Aggies.
SEVENTH INNING:
Brian Hobbie entered the game on the mound for Indiana in the top of the seventh. Michael Helman led off the seventh with a triple, and a Chris Andritsos grounded into fielder's choice, but registered an RBI as Helman took home base. Logan Foster struck out, which ended the inning for the Aggies.
Doxakis was replaced in the seventh inning by junior right handed pitcher Stephen Kolek. Doxakis ended his performance with 12 strikeouts, a career-high. In the first at bat after Doxakis' exit, Indiana's Luke Miller hit a solo shot to center field, which narrowed the Hoosier deficit, 9-2. Kolek ended the the seventh inning with a strikeout of his own. Aggies led 9-2 after seven innings.
SIXTH INNING:
The bottom half of the sixth inning wasn't as kind to the Aggies as the fourth inning was. Bedford, Janca, and DeLoach went down 1-2-3 in the sixth. Seems most of the offensive damage has already been done by this point, however. Aggies led 8-0 entering the bottom of the sixth inning.
Doxakis struck out the first Indiana batter, his twelfth of the game. The sophomore walked Indiana's Jeremy Houston and started the next at bat pitching two straight balls. Texas A&M coach came out to the pitchers mound to talk with Doxakis, but he stayed on the mound. He finished the at bat walking the second Hoosier batter in a row, as his pitch count entered the low 80s. Doxakis then forced a sac fly to center field and Houston advanced to third base. Indiana scored an unearned run, but left two runners on. Aggies led 8-1 through six innings.
FIFTH INNING:
Logan Foster hit a RBI-triple with a runner on first to give the Aggies an 8-0 lead. Foster's triple made him 3-for-3 on the day. Chris Andritsos and Will Frizzell both struck out swinging. Allonte Wingate grounded out to the shortstop to send the game into the bottom of the fifth inning.
Doxakis continued the theme of the day in the fifth: telling Indiana Hoosier batters to take a seat. Doxakis struck out the first batter, forced a pop fly to center, and struck out the final batter of the inning. The sophomore from Lamar, Texas dominated on the mound. His 11 strikeouts were a new career-high.
FOURTH INNING:
The Aggies started out the inning strong with back-to-back base hits from Zach DeLoach and Michael Helman, but a pop fly to left field by Braden Shewmake and a strikeout from Chris Andritsos put two outs on the board for Texas A&M. With two on and two out, Logan Foster ripped a RBI-single to right field and the Aggies took a 1-0 lead.
In the next at bat, Will Frizzell stroked a double to deep left field, driving in two more runners, which gave the Aggies a 3-0 lead. Indiana walked Allonte Wingate to put runners on first and second base with two outs as Cole Bedford stepped up to the plate. Bedford hit a line drive right back at the pitcher -- which deflected off of the pitcher's leg -- and the Aggies had the bases loaded. George Janca was walked with the bases loaded, scoring another Aggie base runner. Zach DeLoach emptied the bases with a deep shot to center that hit off of the wall. DeLoach's double scored three more runs and the Aggies continued to roll in the fourth. The Aggies exited the top half of the inning with a 7-0 lead.
Doxakis began bottom of the fourth inning by forcing the Hoosiers to pop out to center field. Indiana finally ended Doxakis' no-hitter chances with a base hit right past the Aggies shortstop. However, Doxakis struck out the next two batters to get out of the inning. Doxakis had struck out nine batters through four innings.
THIRD INNING:
The Aggies left the inning without getting anyone on base. Allonte Wingate grounded out to third base, Cole Bedford grounded out to second base, and George Janca popped up in the infield on a 3-2 pitch count to end the top of the third. Doxakis struck out the first two Hoosiers batters for his sixth and seventh strikeouts for the game. After an Indiana batter got on base via a hit by pitch, Doxakis caught Indiana's Jeremy Houston in a pickle between first and second base for the final out of the inning.
SECOND INNING:
Chris Andritsos started out the top of the second inning with a pop fly to left field on a 1-2 pitch count to give the Aggies their first out. Logan Foster responded with line drive base hit to center field. Will Frizzell grounded a chopper back to the pitcher, who turned a double play to end the inning. KVUE's Shawn Clynch reported live on Facebook during the second inning.
Doxakis continued to mow down Indiana batters, as he struck out two more in the second inning. Doxakis retired the third and final batter of the inning on a ground out to the second baseman. The Aggies pitcher posted five strikeouts in the first two innings.
FIRST INNING:
Commentators said the on-field temperature was 118 degrees. The Aggies exited the top of the first inning without getting anyone on base. In the bottom of the first, John Doxakis struck out the side to end the inning with a deadlocked score at 0-0.
The Texas A&M Aggies opened its #RoadToOmaha with the Indiana Hoosiers.
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First pitch was set for 4:00 PM at Disch-Falk Field.
The Aggies sported the maroon uniforms with white stripes as they prepared for their first game of the regional tournament. The game was aired on ESPN2.