SHSU takes on No. 1 Ranked Aggies Tuesday
3/30/2015 4:44:00 PM | Baseball
Sam Houston takes on the new number one team in college baseball Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at Blue Bell Park in College Station.
With a 27-2 record that included a pair of wins over Missouri this past weekend, the Aggies have moved to the top of the Collegiate Baseball poll. Texas A&M stands No. 2 in the Baseball America rankings.
The Aggies boast a 21-1 home record this season. Sophomore outfielder Nick Banks (.429), senior catcher Mitchell Nau (.369) and sophomore infielder Ronnie Gideon (.368) are the team's top hitters. Turner Larkins (3-1, 2.94 ERA) will be the starting pitcher Tuesday night for Texas A&M.
Sam Houston, now 14-16 for the year, knocked off No. 14 Rice 11-4 in the Bearkats' last midweek encounter last Wednesday at Don Sanders Stadium. The SHSU men dropped a Southland Conference series at Central Arkansas Friday through Sunday. The Bears won 4-3 on Friday and 6-4 on Sunday. Sam Houston won the middle game Saturday in a 6-3 13-inning thriller.
“Every game could have gone either way,” SHSU head coach Matt Deggs said. Sam Houston is in the midst of a seven-game road swing. Following the Texas A&M, the Kats will travel to Nacogdoches for a three-game Southland series with Stephen F. Austin Thursday through Saturday.
First baseman Spence Rahm is the Bearkats' top threat at the plate. Rahm owns a .347 batting average with 27 RBIs, eight doubles and five home runs. Rahm has produced 10 multiple hit games and eight multiple RBI performances this season.
Center fielder Colt Atwood (.340), outfielder Jake McWilliam (.328) and designated hitter Dylan Ebbs (.324) also have been productive at the plate. MacWilliam has hit safely in his last five games.
Sam Odom (0-3, 4.03 ERA) will be on the mound for the Bearkats Tuesday night. Odom will be making his ninth appearance of the season.
Sam Houston and Texas A&M split in their two meetings last season. Both games were played in College Station with the Bearkats rolling to an 8-1 victory in the first game and the Aggies downing the Kats 3-1 in the second mid-week meeting.
