COLLEGE STATION, TX -- The Cadets received a strong starting performance by senior Kyle Martin on the mound and capitalized four Roughnecks errors to post a 5-0 win in the first game of the Aggies Fall World Series, a seven-inning affair, at Blue Bell Park on Wednesday afternoon.
Martin scattered one hit and one walk while striking out seven over 5.0 innings to earn the win.
“This was the best Kyle has pitched this fall.” Texas A&M head coach Rob Childress said. “He was in command from the beginning. This was his last start of the fall, so it was a good one for him to go out on.”
Rafael Pineda was saddled with the loss despite not giving up an earned run. He allowed five hits and one walk while striking out three. He yielded four unearned runs in the bottom of the second.
“We got good performances from both starting pitchers,” Childress said. “Like most games it came down to what team took care of its business. The Roughnecks had some defensive mistakes and the Cadets took advantage of them.”
The Cadets did most of their damage in the fourth inning. Chance Bolcerek and Danny Holst both reached on errors to start the inning. Hunter Melton singled through the right side to plate Bolcerek. An error on a fly ball to rightfield by Cory Raley allowed Holst to score for the 2-0 advantage. Ryan Rand pushed two runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt and Jaxton McNair followed with a single through the right side, plating two runs and staking the Cadets to a 4-0 lead.
Another error in the fifth inning allowed the Cadets to take a 5-0 lead. With one out, Cole Lankford was hit by a pitch and Daniel Mengden reached on an infield single. Lankford advanced to third on a deep fly out to centerfield by Bolcerek and scored when the Roughnecks were unable to retire Holst at first on a grounder to short.
The Cadets’ McNair paced all hitters, going 2-for-2 with two RBI.
For the Roughnecks, Andrew Vinson pitched a scoreless inning of relief, allowing one hit while striking out two.
Patrick Michon and Greg Maisto each pitched one shutout inning to close the game for the Cadets.
Texas A&M returns to action at the Aggies Fall World Series on Thursday with a 3 p.m. contest at Blue Bell Park.
