• SITE
• HOMES
• MOTORS
• CAREERS
• STUFF

Print this Article E-mail this Article

COLLEGE STATION, Texas–Brian Ruggiano hit two home runs and drove in a career-high five to lead fifth-ranked Texas A&M to a 9-4 win over Dallas Baptist on “Military Appreciation Night” Friday before 3,942 fans at Olsen Field.

In the first multi-home run game of his career, Ruggiano’s round-trippers came in the second and third innings to help stake the Aggies to a 7-2 lead. It would be all Brooks Raley would need, as the freshman lefty held a potent Patriot offense to two runs over the first six innings.

With the victory, A&M improved to 39-8, while DBU fell to 30-14.

“We had some gritty at-bats tonight against a guy that has some outstanding stuff,” A&M coach Rob Childress said. “I was really proud of the way we pitched tonight. I thought Brooks Raley and Kyle Thebeau were outstanding. It was important for us to come back and answer the bell after last night’s performance.”

Dallas Baptist took the early lead for the second straight night. A two-run double to left center by catcher Brandon Bantz in the second gave the Patriots a 2-0 lead off Raley.

A&M would answer right back, however. In the bottom half of the frame, Luke Anders led off with a solo home run to right, his 12th of the season, to cut the lead in half. After a walk to Darby Brown, Brian Rugiano launched a two-run blast to right. The long ball, Ruggiano’s seventh of the year, gave the Aggies their first lead of the weekend at 3-2.

Blake Stouffer opened the Texas A&M third with a double into the right field corner, and scored one out later on a single up the middle by Jose Duran. With two outs, after a walk to Anders, Ruggiano blasted his second home run of the night–a three-run shot to left–that pushed the Aggie lead to 7-2.

The score would remain the same until the seventh, when shortstop Austin Knight laced a two-out, two-run double into the left field corner to pull DBU within three. The Aggies would then go to reliever Kyle Thebeau, who would walk the next batter but strike out cleanup hitter Trevor Head to get out of the inning.

Texas A&M would again answer the Patriots, as Duran and Anders each tallying RBI singles in the bottom of the frame to go back up by five.