Stellar relief pitching from Cortez and Aschenbeck helps Texas A&M top Oregon 10-6 in Super Regional
COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — Chris Cortez and Evan Aschenbeck pitched 7 1/3 innings of scoreless relief, Hayden Schott drove in three runs and Texas A&M battled back from an early three-run deficit to defeat mistake-prone Oregon 10-6 on Saturday in the opening game of the College Station Super Regional.
The No. 3 national seed Aggies need a win on Sunday to advance to the College World Series for the eighth time. If Oregon wins on Sunday, a decisive third game would be played on Monday.
Anson Arroz hit a two-run homer in the first inning and the Ducks added four runs in the second, building a 6-3 lead. In the second, Mason Neville had a sacrifice fly, Arroz drove in another run with a single and Chase Meggers ripped a two-run double.
Trailing 6-4 through three innings, Texas A&M took a 7-6 lead with three runs in the fourth on two errors and a fielder’s choice. The Aggies added three more in the fifth on a bases-loaded walk and two groundouts.
After Ryan Prager was charged with all six Oregon runs in the first two innings, Cortez (9-3) came on in relief and pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing two hits and striking out 10. He was relieved after allowing a leadoff walk and hitting a batter with one out in the eighth.
Aschenbeck got out of the eighth with a foul out and a strikeout. He retired the side in order in the ninth. He pitched 1 2/3 innings without allowing a hit and struck out three for his eighth save.
In all, Oregon went seven innings with 10 hits, 13 strikeouts and no runs against Cortez and Aschenbeck.
Texas A&M scored one run at a time as all 10 runs scored on 10 separate plays. Their last six runs scored on an either an error, a fielder’s choice or a walk.
Schott’s RBIs came on a double in the first inning, a single in the third and a fielder’s choice in the fourth.
Aggies leadoff batter Gavin Grahovac scored three times.
Aroz drove in three with two hits and scored twice for the Ducks. Starter RJ Gordon (7-6) allowed seven runs — six earned — in 3 1/3 innings.
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