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Updated 6:57 AM on Sunday, May 6, 2007

Aggies hit three homers, finish sweep of Patriots

By RICHARD CROOME
Eagle Staff Writer

The Texas A&M baseball team has gained a reputation for wreaking havoc on the basepaths.

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Buy this photo Eagle Photo/Gabriel Chmielewski Teammates congratulate Texas A&M's Dane Carter after he hit his first home run of the season, a two-run shot Saturday at Olsen Field.

On Saturday, the 12th-ranked Aggies leisurely made their way around the Olsen Field diamond for a 14-6 victory and a three-game sweep of the Dallas Baptist Patriots (25-23).

A&M (38-11) batted around in the third and fifth innings, scoring six runs in each frame.

That's where the similarity of both innings ended.

In the third, Patriot pitchers walked eight and gave up only one hit, an infield single to Craig Stinson. Three of the runs came on bases-loaded walks. Two were a result of wild pitches and one a fielder's choice.

"That's pretty ironic, but it's definitely baseball," Stinson said. "I remember looking up at the scoreboard, and they were outhitting us by a couple and we had eight or 10 runs. That's what happens when you walk guys."

The Patriots went through four pitchers in the inning, with two not recording an out.

Two innings later, the Aggies hit three two-run homers - all with two outs. Blake Stouffer and Stinson each hit their eighth homers of the year, while Dane Carter hit his first as an Aggie.

In each case, the runner on base got there courtesy of Patriot pitchers, who hit two batters and walked another before giving up the home runs.

"In the fifth inning after we hit that last two-run homer, we finally went ahead of them in hits," A&M coach Rob Childress said. "I don't know how many times we walked, 12 or 13, but it was a big day for us offensively."

Dallas Baptist walked 12 Aggies.

Stinson was the lone Aggie to have a multiple-hit game with three hits to go with three RBIs. Stouffer's line read one at-bat, three runs, one hit, three RBIs.

"It seems like every time Stouffer hits a home run, I hit a home run," Stinson said. "We were talking about that in the dugout. Sometimes it gets contagious. One guy hits one, and the next wants to do it."

A&M won Game 1 11-10 in 12 innings and shut out the Patriots 3-0 in Game 2. But Dallas Baptist opened Game 3 strong with four runs in the first inning off David Newmann.

Newmann gave up hits to Austin Krum and Austin Knight, then hurt his own cause with an error on a pickoff attempt and two walks.

Matt Tucker's walk forced in Krum, and Knight scored on the error.

The other two runs came on a fielder's choice and a single off the right-field wall by Will Stramp. A&M right fielder Daman Aaron got the ball back in quickly to second baseman Parker Dalton, who caught Stramp rounding first too far.

Despite Newmann's rocky start, Childress said he didn't consider pulling him in the first.

"Not at all," Childress said. "I just wanted him to get things together. I wasn't ready to get David, and I thought he was sharp after the first inning."

Said Newmann: "I actually felt pretty good the entire game. I've got to give credit to [the Patriots]. They were hitting quality pitches, which was frustrating me, especially in the first inning. I just had to bear down and get through it."

A&M chopped the lead in half in the bottom part of the first. Brandon Hicks nearly took Victor Black's (4-5) head off with a single up the middle. Stouffer then drew a walk, and Anders and Stinson each had RBI singles. Black avoided further trouble by striking out two Aggies to get out of a bases-loaded jam.

Newmann settled down after the first, giving up only three more hits. He finished with seven strikeouts, striking out the side - the Nos. 3 through 5 hitters - in the fifth.

"I thought David Newmann had his best start of the year," Childress said. "I told him that after six innings, and he just shrugged his shoulders and laughed at me. [But] he was really sharp, and from the standpoint of not having his great stuff and just finding a way to get through six and allowing us to come back, he was good."

The Patriots' other two runs came on a two-run single by Nick Santos off Jason Meyer in the seventh. The Aggies turned away a few Patriot opportunities by turning three double plays, with Hicks involved in all of them.

"He got to so many balls today," Childress said. "He's a special shortstop, and I've enjoyed watching him this year."

A&M returns to action Friday at Kansas State.

for a three-game Big 12 series.