By Curtis Ford, Grambling State Associate AD for Athletic Communications
BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Grambling State’s return to the NCAA Tournament after a 14-year hiatus didn’t get off to the start the Tigers were hoping for. GSU fell to No. 3 national seed Texas A&M 8-0 in the first game of the Bryan-College Station Regional on Friday afternoon at Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park.
The Tigers played Texas A&M (45-13) tough. Outside of a seven-run second inning for the Aggies, GSU’s defense put together seven scoreless innings.
Although runs were tough to come by, GSU’s hitters didn’t backdown from a powerful Texas A&M pitching staff. The Tigers reeled off nine hits. Three batters registered multi-hit games. Tiger Boromwent 2-for-5, Ashton Inman went 2-for-5 and DeMarckus Smiley went 2-for-4. Grambling State (26-27) left 14 runners on base.
Mason Martinez (12-3) got the start on the mound for Grambling State but was pulled after a rough second inning. Martinez surrendered seven runs on five hits with two strikes in 1.2 innings of work.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Grambling State opened the game with back-to-back base hits from Borom and Walker but failed to push across any runs. In the top of the second, the Tigers threatened to score again, moving runners to second and third with two outs, but once again, exited the frame with no runs.
- With the score tied 0-0 in the bottom of the second inning, Texas A&M broke the game open with a seven-run frame.
- In the top of the fourth, Grambling State loaded the bases, forcing Aggies’ starting pitcher Tanner Jones out of the game. That pitching change paid off for Texas A&M as Brad Rudis entered and retired the next two batters to get TAMU out of the jam.
- Braden Montgomery extended TAMU’s lead to 8-0 with an RBI single in the bottom of the inning.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- Grambling State registered nine hits and left 14 runners stranded. GSU batted.265 as a team (9-of-34). The Tigers drew six walks and committed one error.
- Texas A&M scored eight runs on 10 hits. The Aggies batted .313 (10-of-32). TAMU drew six walks and committed one error.
- Javier Martinez entered the game in relief of M. Martinez. J. Martinez struck out four batters in 4.1 innings of work, allowing one run on one hit.
- Jeremiah Newman also saw action out of the bullpen, fanning three batters in 2.0 innings. He allowed one hit.
- Brad Rudis (6-0) picked up the win for Texas A&M. He entered in the fourth inning, going 1.2 innings. He picked up one strikeout and walked one.
- GSU fell to 0-3 all-time versus Texas A&M.
UP NEXT
Grambling State awaits the loser of Friday night’s contest between Louisiana and Texas. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. CST at Blue Bell Park.