COLLEGE STATION, Texas. – On a windy day at Blue Bell Park, the University of Pennsylvania baseball team struggled to get anything going offensively, eventually dropping the third game of the series on Sunday 7-1 to No. 24 Texas A&M.

Quaker Notemeal
*Three of Penn's four hits were doubles, notched by Nick Spaventa, Michael Powell and Gavin Degnan.

*Freshman second baseman Jay Secretarski was a bright spot across the three-game series, as he recorded a hit in each of the three games to begin his collegiate career. 

*Degnan and Powell were responsible for the Quakers' lone run, which came in the sixth inning. Powell got the bats going with a double to center field, prior to Degnan lining a double of his own to left center which brought Powell home.

*Junior right-hander Josh Katz was charged with the loss, after allowing five runs on five hits as the Red and Blue's starter on the mound.

*Aidan von Zuben threw the most pitches (74) and worked the most innings (3.1) for Penn, while striking out three batters. Freshman Nick Newburn made his collegiate debut in relief and Andrew Miehe also saw brief time on the bump.
 
How It Happened
Aiden Sims began the day on the hill for the hosts, and he wasted no time by retiring the Quakers' first three batters in seven pitches. Terrence Kiel II hit a leadoff single, but nothing came of it after Katz struck out Gavin Grahovac, while retiring Jake Duer and Boston Kellner.
 
Sims continued to fire on all cylinders by sending Penn's next three batters back to the dugout in quick succession. Nico Partida got on base for the Aggies to get to the bottom of the second rolling and he later crossed home plate when Sawyer Farr drove him in with a single to left center. After two innings the hosts led 1-0.
 
Texas A&M's bats stayed hot in the third stanza and put together a three-run inning. Sims retired Penn's hitters in 1-2-3 fashion, which opened the door for the Aggies' offense. Kiel II was hit by a pitch and found his way home when Grahovac ripped an RBI double to right center. Kellner got on base after Duer lined out to first, leaving Partida at the plate. The third baseman launched a two-run home run over the left-field wall to grant Texas A&M a 4-0 advantage.
 
A scoreless fifth inning left the visitors with work to do, but they got on the board in the sixth.
 
After Sims put away Secretarski, Powell hit a double to center field. Degnan followed suit, driving the sophomore home with a double to left center. Gavin Collins and Davis Baker both grounded out to conclude the inning.
 
The Aggies tacked on their final run of the day in the seventh frame. Kellner was walked by von Zuben to start the bottom of the inning and then Partida singled to center to advance Kellner to third. Penn's pitching coach, Josh Schwartz, then called in freshman right-hander Nick Newburn for his first taste of collegiate baseball. An eventual throwing error allowed Kellner to score and with two innings to go Texas A&M led 7-1.

Both squads recorded a hit apiece in the eighth stanza but failed to score any runs. The Quakers' final at bat in the top of the ninth was short lived as Aggies reliever Josh Stewart retired Collins, Baker and Ernie Echevarria in order to claim the 7-1 win.
 
Up Next
The Quakers will look to bounce back next weekend as they prepare for a three-game series with Mercer down in Macon, Ga.

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