HUNTSVILLE -- For the second time in as many games, Zeth Malcom provided a key home run for the Bulldogs.
Not bad for a guy who's only played in two college games.
On Saturday, the freshman catcher blasted a shot off the left-field scoreboard to help boost the Bulldogs to a 5-3 win over Fort Wayne. On Friday, he homered to left to tie the score at 5-5 in an eventual 8-6 A&M win.
It was the second straight win for A&M to open the season. It is also the first 2-0 start for the Bulldogs since the 2010 season.
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While Malcom helped with the offense, senior Brandon Marsonek came on in relief in the seventh inning and pitched shutout ball the rest of the way for his first win. On Friday, he pitched four innings of relief to get the save against Fort Wayne.
Malcom led a trio of Bulldogs with two-hit days. For the second straight game, Carlton Peppers had a pair of hits, including a double, and Cornelious Woods singled twice and added an RBI.
Peppers helped set up Malcom's go-ahead homer when he ripped a one-out double in the seventh inning.
Then, one out later, Malcom strode into the pitch and sent it over the left-field fence, hitting the middle of the scoreboard for a 4-3 lead.
In the A&M eighth, Woods hit a one-out single and, one out later, moved to second on a wild pitch. Joannes Diaz then singled to right, scoring Woods with the insurance run.
The Mastodons, though, attempted a rally in the ninth with back-to-back singles to start the inning.
Marsonek started a 1-5-3 double play but Fort Wayne added another single to put runners on the corners with two outs.
However, Marsonek struck out the next batter to wrap up the win. In his three innings of work, Marsonek scattered five hits and struck out two.
A&M starter Blaine Milam cruised through the first two innings putting down six straight batters. He pitched four scoreless innings before being touched for a run in the fifth and another run in the sixth which allowed Fort Wayne to tie the score at 2-2.
A&M took a 1-0 lead in the second on Woods' RBI single to score Wilbert Betancourt. The Mastodons tied it in the fifth but Njike Hunter's fielder's choice RBI scored Pierre Brewton for a 2-1 lead.
Fort Wayne scored a run in the seventh for a 3-2 lead - their last of the game.
The Bulldogs were aided by stellar defensive plays. Diaz leaped to snag a line drive to open the third inning and Brewton showed range at second base and a strong arm with big plays in the sixth and seventh innings.
In the fourth inning, right-fielder Dalton Mitchell helped squash a rally when he threw out a runner at third base.
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The two teams will close out their series Sunday with a doubleheader that starts at 10 a.m.
