'Cats Rally to Force Extras, But Drop Historical Super Regional Opener to Texas A&M

Friday, June 9

College Station, Texas

3:00 p.m.

Davidson College Athletics

35-25

Texas A&M

40-21

Davidson

Texas A&M

Cam Johnson, 2017 NCAA Regional action photo.

Photo by: Tim Cowie - DavidsonPhotos.com

'Cats Rally to Force Extras, But Drop Historical Super Regional Opener to Texas A&M

6/9/2017 9:49:00 PM | Baseball

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COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Despite rallying from six runs down, including one in the ninth, Davidson dropped game one of the best-of-three Super Regional to Texas A&M, 7-6, in 15 innings, Friday afternoon at Blue Bell Park.

Game two will be played Saturday evening at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN2.

The Aggies, who led 6-0 after five innings, got a walk-off two-out RBI single from third baseman George Janca to secure the longest Super Regional opener ever.

Junior Cam Johnson and sophomore Max Bazin paced the Wildcats offensively turning in career-high days with four hits each. Johnson registered two doubles for the fourth time this season, with both reaching the wall. He finished the day with three RBI.

Davidson (35-25) scored three runs in the sixth highlighted by back-to-back extra base hits from Johnson and senior Will Robertson, who drove in two runs of his own. With his hit, he has now reached base in 55 consecutive games.

Making their first-ever NCAA appearance in the program's 115-year existence after winning the 2017 Atlantic 10 Championship, the Wildcats made it a one-run game with two more runs in the sixth.

Down to its final at-bat, Davidson freshman Brett Centracchio led off the top of the ninth with a walk, moved to second on a Bazin sac bunt and scored for the third time on Johnson's single up the middle.

The Wildcats had a chance to take the lead in the 13th with runners on the corners and one out, but were picked off on a safety squeeze attempt. Davidson stranded at least one runner in four of the six extra innings.

Left fielder Walker Pennington led the way for Texas A&M (40-21) with four hits, while second baseman Braden Shewmake, the SEC Freshman of the Year, center fielder Nick Choruby and freshman Hunter Coleman added three each.

After a bit of a restless start, ace Durin O'Linger found his rhythm and tossed 7.2 innings, striking out six.

The Davidson bullpen combined for seven innings of relief, limiting the Aggies to just four hits. Senior closer Westin Whitmire threw his longest career outing, spanning four frames.