March 29, 2008

Late Rally Lifts No. 20 Aggies Over Kansas in Extra Innings

March 29, 2008

LAWRENCE, Kan. –

Freshman Brooks Raley’s RBI single in the top of the tenth plated the go-ahead run and lifted No. 20 Texas A&M to a 9-6 triumph over Kansas Saturday afternoon at Hoglund Ballpark. <?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>

The Aggies improve to 20-6 overall and 5-3 in the Big 12, while KU drops to 18-11 overall and 1-4 in conference play.

Kansas held leads of 3-1 and 6-3 in the game, but could not hold on.

Texas A&M first baseman Luke Anders hit a three-run homer in the top of the seventh to erase a 6-3 Kansas lead. It was the first baseman’s fourth round-tripper of the season.

Then in the tenth, the Aggies used a double, a hit batsman and a walk to load the bases and set the table for Raley, who was the winning pitcher in Friday’s ballgame. Raley lined a 3-1 fastball to center field to drive in the game-winning run.

Trailing 1-0 early, the Jayhawks took a 2-1 lead in the first on Buck Afenir’s fourth home run of the season.

After a John Allman RBI single made it 3-1 Kansas in the third, the Aggies tied the game in the fifth on a sac fly and an RBI single by Jose Duran.

The Jayhawks put together one more rally in the sixth to take the lead as Preston Land doubled in a pair of runs with two outs, while Tony Thompson followed with an RBI single to give KU a three-run cushion.

However, the Texas A&M bullpen held the Jayhawks in check during the last four innings. Travis Starling was credited with the win after working out of a first-and-second, one-out jam in the ninth. The right-handed reliever also overcame a leadoff double by Ryne Price in the 10^th.

Robby Price and Tony Thompson each had two hits to lead KU’s offense.

Texas A&M’s late rally spoiled a good outing by KU starting pitcher Nick Czyz. The 6-foot-2 lefty held the Aggies to three runs on six hits over 5 1/3 innings, collecting five strikeouts.

KU will look to salvage the third game of the series Sunday at Hoglund Ballpark. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.