WATCH: Aggies Ryan Targac Hits Series-Clinching HR to Beat Ole Miss
Targac? Try Tar-gone.
After entering the weekend batting .179 and on an 0-for-19 hitless streak, Texas A&M Aggies designated hitter Ryan Targac saw the ball clearer than ever, totaling four hits against Ole Miss. But it was his solo home run Sunday afternoon in the ninth inning that gave the Aggies a 5-4 win over the Rebels, their first SEC series victory of the 2023 season.
“I’m just so glad to see him rewarded," A&M coach Jim Schlossnagle said postgame. "He’s such a great kid. He’s such a great teammate and he works his rear end off and he’s in there because he’s capable of changing the game with one swing.”
Connecting on the long ball was the storyline for the Aggies (17-11, 3-6 SEC) against the defending national champions. Targac might have hit the biggest home run of the weekend, but he wasn't alone. Five A&M batters connected seven times to trot around the bases for easy runs.
Outfielder Brett Minnich, who missed five weeks after breaking his hand on Opening Day, launched two no-doubters in Friday's 8-6 win. On Sunday, he picked up where he left off with a two-run shot in the fourth to tie the game at 3 apiece.
"Having Minnich in the lineup takes so much pressure off of a guy like [Jace] LaViolette," Schlossnalge said of Minnich's return. "It allows us to lengthen the lineup a little bit. ... Brett just has so much experience and confidence. If we could get the rest of those guys going. ... hopefully our second half [of the season] will be better than our first."
Starting pitching remains a concern for A&M entering the jampacked Easter week. Ole Miss (16-11, 1-8 SEC) jumped out to a 2-0 lead in Shane Sdao's first-weekend appearance of the season thanks to an RBI double from Ethan Groff, and a sacrifice fly from Jacob Gonzalez. The Rebels extended their lead in the third after Calvin Harris connected with a fastball for a solo home run.
Schlossnagle, who preached the importance of his starters eating up innings, wasted little time following the Harris homer to head to the pen. Sado's day was done after 2.1 innings. He allowed three runs on four hits and struck out one, though Schlossnagle said postgame that his plan was to pull him early regardless of the score.
"I was just hoping Sdao could get through the lineup one time, which he did," Schlossangle said.
Catcher Hank Bard notched his second home run of the season on a 1-0 count to right-center field to put A&M on the board. Following the Minnich homer, both pitching staffs silenced the bats until the bottom of the sixth, when a bases-load walk to LaViolette plated Jack Moss and gave A&M the lead.
While starting pitching will need to find its rhythm to begin April, A&M's bullpen has kept the program in close games. Brad Rudis and Evan Aschenbeck combined for six strikeouts, five hits allowed, and a walk through six frames.
“I’ve always tried to come in and fill the zone," said Aschenbeck. "Pitchers execute pitches and the defense will play and that’s something I’ve been doing my whole career is filling the strike zone and letting the defense work.”
Aschnebeck, who froze the Rebels' bats Friday with a pair of runners in scoring position, made only one mistake — a single to Ethan Lege that allowed Judd Utermark to advance from first to third. Reagan Burford drilled a flyout deep enough into center field to score the runner and tie the game.
Will Johnston, who replaced Aschenbeck following the walk, struck out TJ McCants, leaving the leading run stranded at second.
Targac started and ended the inning in seven pitches. After drawing a 3-2 count against Mason Nichols, the junior cranked one just past the scoreboard to send A&M fans home happy.
“It was very sweet," Targac said. "I’m self-aware of what’s been going on and struggling a little bit. Some hits aren’t falling, but I’m just worried about barreling up baseballs and I got one right there.”
The Aggies return to Blue Bell Park Tuesday night to face Texas State before a three-game road trip to Auburn starting Thursday. First pitch is set for 6:02 p.m.
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