Nunez Goes Yard In Victory Over Abilene Christian to complete weekend sweep

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 | Box Score 3

NORMAL - In the final contest of their three game series versus Abilene Christian, A&M pulled the come from behind victory in the bottom of the eighth, winning 9-8 over the Wildcats Sunday afternoon.

Game One

Alabama A&M scored runs in the first three innings, as well as the fourth, fifth and sixth innings combing for 12 runs on their season high 15 hits but was held scoreless in the remaining two innings of the game falling 13-12 in the first of three meetings.

Ramon Nelson and Dustin Dhanani both were 3 of 4 from the plate with Nelson plating two runs and two RBI's. Dhanani scored three runs in the first of two set for Saturday, March 22.

Relief pitcher Ryan Ahrens earned the loss in two innings of work and posted a pair of strikeouts. Derrick Winter collected three strikeouts in 1.1 innings on the mound.

Game Two

In the second match of the doubleheader, A&M exploded for six runs in the eighth inning to post their first win of the series 7-1. Julio Nunez went 2 of 4 with a pair of runs and a RBI while Allen Smith ended the day 2 of 3 with a run. Jordan Friend posted three runs batted in, all coming in the eighth inning.

Caleb Bowen earned the win after six innings of work. Bowen posted two strikeouts, nine fly outs and six ground outs.

Game Three

Starting right-hander Devin Smith allowed seven runs and scattered 10 hits in seven innings, his career-long outing. He issued only one walk and struck out four.

Head Coach Mitch Hill stated, "Devin did a great job for us on the mound working those seven innings. He is working hard to get the ball in play and his defense helped him out in the end."

Neither team would score in the seventh inning; however in the top half of the eighth the Wildcats scored five runs on three hits, to tie the game at eight all.

"They are a great hitting team, they swing the bat really well," stated Hill. "We let them back in the contest with a few errors, but we regained the lead when it mattered," Hill recalled.

A&M battled back in the bottom half of the eighth when Austin Hulsey scored the winning run on an error by ACU's first baseman.

Andrew Utterback (1-0) picked up the victory, allowing no runs and no hits, while striking out one batter in one inning of work.

"Utterback came in and pitched the final inning and did a great job for the one, two, three inning for his first win of the year," stated Hill.

AAMU finished with 12 hits, their 11^th game of the season with double digit connections. A two-hit day was enjoyed by Julio Nunez, Patrick Dobson, Austin Hulsey, Justen Folger and Brandyn Crutcher.

The win completes the season sweep of the Wildcats and gives the Bulldogs their 10^th victory of the year. The double digit wins are the most by this time of the year for Alabama A&M Baseball for the first time since the 2010 season.

Up next A&M will travel to Atlanta, Georgia to face Georgia State in a two game midweek series beginning Tuesday, March 25 at 6 p.m. CST.

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