Win streak reaches seven as Texas A&M handles Tarleton on Tuesday

Game #36: Texas A&M 11, Tarleton 3
Records: Texas A&M (21-15, 6-9), Tarleton (15-23, 3-6)
WP: Caden McCoy (3-1)
LP: Spencer Hatch (0-1)
Box Score

The result is a positive.

Though tinkering and tidying might be required of Texas A&M's Michael Earley following an 11-3 victory over Tarleton on Tuesday night at Blue Bell Park.

"We want to win every game," the Aggie skipper said. "We want to continue to play good baseball. There was a little bit of a lapse there in certain innings, but the guys kept playing and got back to it and did what they were supposed to do."

Yes, the Aggies scored 11 runs on 10 hits. Yes, they stretched their winning streak to seven games.

However, A&M stranded a baker's dozen as the Ags failed to truly dominate the Texans. They also committed a pair of errors.

"As competition, you would think, gets harder, mistakes, you can't have them," Earley said. "Mistakes are mistakes, so we want to continue to play clean baseball and fix those mistakes as we make them."

Though not an official error, a misplayed fly ball in the third led to a leadoff triple. That runner —  Lane Brewster — was eventually erased at the plate on the evening's defensive gem: A laser of a throw from Terrence Kiel II in right field to complete a double play.

"Awesome," Earley said. "He's got a good arm. He has just been working on his direction on his throws, like his feet taking him towards the ball, and he did a really good job getting behind that baseball and making an accurate throw."

Sure, a four spot in the bottom of the second put A&M ahead for good. Jace LaViolette's three-run homer in a four-run seventh helped put the game out of reach.

LaViolette was one of four Aggies with multiple hits, going 2-for-5 with four RBIs. Wyatt Henseler was 2-for-6, while Caden Sorrell went 2-for-4.

Earning the start in left field, Jamal George completed that quartet by capitalizing on his opportunity with a 2-for-3 line with a walk and two RBIs.

"Coach Earley always preaches to stay ready," George said. "I knew I got out of the lineup, so since that moment, I've just been grinding in the cage with them.

"We've just been grinding and working, and I got my confidence back, and I think I'm playing better."

George has appeared in 24 games with 10 starts. If he can produce modestly offensively, more opportunities could come his way until Sorrell is ready to play defensively.

"We've worked on a lot of stuff with his mechanics and his swing the last couple of weeks," Earley said of George. "He's continuing to grow and continuing to get better.

Raegan Huffman, TexAgs

Texas A&M’s Jamal George went 2-for-3 with a walk and two RBIs against Tarleton on Tuesday night.

"He's just an awesome kid. He's an unbelievable kid. He comes with energy every day. I love to see the smile on his face, but he works really, really hard. He really, really cares. I'm just really glad he's here and is a part of our team."

In another Tuesday start, right-hander Gavin Lyons tossed three scoreless innings before allowing the first two men to reach in the fourth. He finished with a pair of runs against him.

Tarleton's only other run was Rayner Heinrich's leadoff home run vs. Grant Cunningham in the sixth to make it 6-3.

Beyond that, Caden McCoy, Kaiden Wilson, Brad Rudis and Clayton Freshcorn each turned in unblemished outings.

"Everything is the same," McCoy said. "It's just one day at a time. Every day is a new day, and it's just you compete and play as hard as you can every single day."

While A&M's win was never in jeopardy, cleaner play will be required this weekend.

After all, a daunting road trip to face No. 2 Arkansas awaits.

"I know they can really hit, and they're a really good baseball team," Earley said. "They're going to be one of the best, if not the best team, we've played this year, and going into that environment, we're going to have to come, bring some energy and play, play, play. It's going to be tough.

"I love where we're at going into it, but it ain't going to make it easier, so we're going to find out what we're made of, and I can't wait to get out there."

The Aggies and Razorbacks begin their three-game series on Thursday night at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville.