COLLEGE STATION, TX -- The seventh-ranked Texas A&M baseball team will host its final weekend series of the year on Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park beginning on Friday when the Aggies face San Diego State during the opener of a three-game series.
The Aggies (34-14; 13-8 Big 12) enter the weekend in a second-place tie in the Big 12 standings while the Aztecs (22-27) sit in third place in the Mountain West.
Friday’s game is slated for a 6:35 p.m. first pitch and Saturday’s contest will begin at 2:05 p.m. Both Friday and Saturday’s contests will be live streamed for free by 12thManTV on aggieathletics.com. Sunday’s series finale is slated for a 12:05 p.m. start and and will be televised by Cox Sports.
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
FRIDAY (MAY 11) – 6:35 p.m.
Texas A&M - #38 Michael Wacha (Jr., RHP, 7-0, 2.25)
SDSU - #15 Justin Hepner (So., RHP, 3-1, 2.82)
SATURDAY (MAY 12) – 2:05 p.m.
Texas A&M - #36 Ross Stripling (Sr., RHP, 8-2, 2.59)
SDSU - #35 Michael Cederoth (Fr., RHP, 3-3, 4.73)
SUNDAY (MAY 13) – 12:05 p.m.
Texas A&M - #55 Rafael Pineda (RS-So., RHP, 5-1, 2.61)
SDSU - #29 Ryan Doran (Jr., RHP, 3-4, 4.52)
FOLLOWING THE ACTION
• TV — Sunday’s game will be broadcast by Cox Sports ... Will Johnson (play-by-play), along with Alan Cannon (commentary), will have the call.
• RADIO — Fans can listen locally on WTAW-AM 1620 ... Dave South (play-by-play), along with selected color commentators, will call the action ... pregame show begins 30 minutes prior to first pitch.
• INTERNET — aggieathletics.com will offer live play-by-play and statistics ... fans can watch Saturday and Sunday’s games free of charge on aggieathletics.com.
• MOBILE PHONE — listen to the game on your iPhone, Blackberry or PDA free of charge ... log on to radioaggieland.com for more information.
SAN DIEGO STATE SEASON STATS
TEXAS A&M SEASON STATS
UP NEXT
After the weekend set with San Diego State the Aggies will embark on their final week of the regular season which begins on Tuesday when they host Texas State in a Tuesday night contest on Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park.
Following the Texas State contest, Texas A&M will travel to Stillwater, Okla., to close out the regular season with a three-game series against Oklahoma State.
GAME PROMOTIONS
• FRIDAY – Free Giveaway Friday: Fans will have the opportunity to enter at the guest services booth to win a team signed home plate.
SATURDAY - Military Appreciation Day: All veterans and currently serving military members are invited to meet at 1:15 at the Guest Services booth to go on the field for recognition & pregame flyover … Have A Catch: Fans will have the opportunity to play catch on the field for half an hour following the game.
SUNDAY – Senior Day: The Aggie Seniors will be honored with their parents … Mother’s Day: All player mothers have been invited to come onto the field pregame to do the Aggie War Hymn with their sons... Sunday Run Day: Kids are invited to run the bases following the game.
TEAM NOTES
Naquin Seeking Back-to-Back 100-Hit Campaigns
After leading the nation in hits with 104 during his breakout sophomore campaign a year ago, outfielder Tyler Naquin is seeking to become only the second Aggie ever to have multiple 100-hit seasons.
Jason Tyner (1996-98), who holds the all-time career record for hits at Texas A&M with 307, surpassed the century mark in hits each of his three seasons in Aggieland, including a school-record 107 in 1998. Of the six players to break the 100-hit plateau while wearing the Maroon & White he stands as the only player to do it more than once, but he may soon have company.
Naquin enters the SDSU series with 75 hits this season and 221 for his career, a total that ranks him in a tie for 14th all-time at A&M.
Stripling & Wacha Climbing All-Time Wins List
Senior pitcher Ross Stripling has enjoyed an outstanding career wearing the Maroon & White and is beginning to etch his name among the greats in Aggie baseball history.
After leading the nation in victories with 14 a season ago, the Southlake, Texas, native has made an amazing ascent up the Texas A&M list of all-time pitching wins. Stripling enters this weekend with 29 career wins to place him in fifth place all time. Up next is former A&M great Ryan Rupe who won 30 games for the Aggies from 1994-98.
Stripling also sits in fifth place from most all-time wins by a Big 12 pitcher.
Teammate Michael Wacha cracked the career Top 10 with a win over Kansas on April 13 and enters the weekend in a tie for eighth all time with 25 career wins.
Stripling & Wacha Join Elite 300-Strikeout Club
In addition to being two of the most proficient winners in Aggie baseball history both Stripling and Wacha have moved into the top four for all-time strikeouts at the school. The teammates joined the exclusive 300-strikeout club with Wacha notching his 300th on May 4 against Texas Tech and Stripling joining him a day later with a career-best 13-strikout performance against the Red Raiders on May 5.
QUICK NOTES & TRENDS
• Texas A&M will honor its five seniors (Scott Arthur, Matt Juengel, Jacob House, Ross Stripling and Estevan Uriegas) prior to Sunday’s game during Senior Day at the ballpark.
• The Aggies are one of the nation’s most aggressive teams on the base paths and enter the weekend ranked fourth in the country in team stolen bases with 108. It marks only the ninth time in program history the Aggies have surpassed the century-mark in steals with four of the seasons coming during the Childress-era. Texas A&M features five players who have swiped at least 10 bags this season, led by sophomore Krey Bratsen with 19.
• Aggie right fielder Tyler Naquin remains the Big 12’s leading hitter as he enters the weekend with a .397 (75-for-189) clip at the plate.
• Saturday’s scheduled starter Ross Stripling continues to leave his mark as one of the most successful pitchers in school history, climbing both the Texas A&M and Big 12 all-time wins list. The right-hander captured his 29th win last weekend against Texas Tech and and ranks fifth place in school history. Up next on the list is former Aggie great Ryan Rupe, who won 30 games for the Aggies from 1994-98. Stripling also ranks among the most proficient winners in Big 12 history, sitting in alone in fifth place all-time among league pitchers.
• Fellow starting pitcher Michael Wacha is also etching his name into the Aggie record books, as he won his 25th career game last weekend to move into eighth place on the Texas A&M career top 10. He enters the San Diego State series sharing the No. 8 spot with James “Hoot” Gibson (1975-76).
• Up until last weekend only two pitchers in the history of Texas A&M has eclipsed the 300-strikeout club, but during the Texas Tech series that number doubled with both Stripling and Wacha joining the exclusive group.
• Recognized for their strong performances on the mound, Stripling and right-hander Rafael Pineda were named to the initial Watch List for the Pitcher of the Year award, presented by the College Baseball Hall of Fame.
• Additionally, Naquin, Stripling and Wacha all represent Texas A&M on the Golden Spikes Award watch list.
