Texas A&M sinks Vanderbilt, 7-0, behind sensational pitching from Roa

Game #22: No. 19 Texas A&M 7, No. 1 Vanderbilt 0
Records: Texas A&M (17-5, 2-1), Vanderbilt (15-5, 1-2),
WP: Christian Roa (2-1)
LP:  Khumar Rocker (1-2)
Box Score

The Aggies were able to pull off a series win against No. 1 Vanderbilt behind an excellent pitching performance from starter Christian Roa. The righty threw seven innings, struck out 7 and gave up just 3 hits.

Both teams started off slowly at the plate – the Commodores and the Aggies combined for just three hits through three innings, with neither team getting a runner into scoring position. Both starters had little trouble in managing their opponent’s offense in the early stages.

But Texas A&M got the bats rolling in the bottom half of the fourth. Cam Blake led off the inning with an infield single, and Braden Shewmake promptly scored him with an RBI triple hit down the right field line. Ty Coleman would reach first on another infield single, and an error by Vanderbilt third baseman set up a 2 RBI double off the bat of Jonathan Ducoff to complete a 4-run inning by the Aggies to get the offense going.

"We finally sold out to an approach, and it paid off for us,” Braden Shewmake said after the game.

Roa had his only hiccup of the game in the top of sixth. The Commodores opened up the inning with a leadoff four-pitch walk and a subsequent single, putting two base runners on for Vanderbilt. A sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position with just one out with cleanup hitter Stephen Scott at the plate. Roa struck him out swinging and forced a ground out on the next Vandy hitter to get out of the sixth unscathed.

“I thought [Stephen] Scott was the toughest out,” Roa commented regarding escaping the jam. “I was excited he hit that out [in the sixth].”

Unaffected by the trouble in the previous inning, Roa came back out in the seventh and set the Commodores down in order to end his afternoon on the mound. It looks like the sophomore has the Sunday starter slot locked up moving forward, but he isn’t concerned about his role as long as he’s helping the team win.

“Whatever puts us in the best situation to win, that’s our plan,” Roa said regarding being the regular Sunday starter. “Whatever it takes to win, that’s what we’re going to try to do.”

The A&M offense supplied three more insurance runs in the bottom of the seventh off of hits from Braden Shewmake, Ty Coleman, and Jonathan Ducoff to help guarantee that Christian Roa received a win for his incredible performance on the hill.

Bryce Miller came on in relief in the eighth inning and had little trouble closing out the final six outs for the Aggies as they secured the 7-0 win.

“It’s a series win,” Rob Childress said after the game. “To come back and find a way to win a series after losing on Friday is awful tough to do in the SEC.”

The victory gives the Aggies their first series win in conference play. The team will be back in action on Tuesday when they face Rice at Olsen Field before heading to Lexington next weekend for an SEC series against Kentucky. First pitch on Tuesday is set for 6:30 p.m.