Texas A&M blows out McNeese to open the 2024 college baseball season
No. 8 Texas A&M (1-0) started its promising 2024 college baseball season in blowout fashion, defeating McNeese State 15-0 behind five scoreless innings from redshirt sophomore starting pitcher Ryan Prager, who finished with 9 strikeouts and just one hit, the Cowboys only hit through all 9 innings.
At the plate, transfer outfielder/pitcher Braden Montgomery lived up to his lofty expectations during his first at-bat, hitting his first home run in an Aggie uniform to put A&M up 1-0. After one scoreless inning in the 2nd, sophomore OF Jace LaViolette did what he does best, hitting a 2-run moon shot to right-center field, which started the scoring barrage for the rest of the matchup.
Scoring three more runs in the 3rd inning, LaViolette wasn’t finished, hitting his second 2-run bomb to, you guessed it, right center, ending his hitting night in elite fashion. Even more impressive, transfer DH Ted Burton was just a home run away from hitting for the cycle after registering 3 hits, including a 2-run triple to bring the score to 11-0 in the 5th.
🤯🤯#GigEm x @JaceLaViolette2 pic.twitter.com/rN0VHJP3z6
— Texas A&M Baseball (@AggieBaseball) February 17, 2024
Two fellow newcomers joined the home run party during their A&M debuts, as shortstop Ali Carmarillo and freshman 1st baseman Blake Binderup both homered in the 8th.
Total offense: 17 hits, five home runs, 15 runs
Pitching: Ryan Prager W (1-0): 5.0 innings, 9 Ks, 58 pitches. Issac Morton: 2.0 innings, 4 Ks, 40 pitches. Brad Rudis: 2.0 innings, 2Ks, 16 pitches.
Texas A&M will return to Blue Bell Park for Game 2 against McNeese State on Saturday, starting at 2:00 p.m. CT. The Game will be available for streaming on SEC Network+.
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