COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Freshman Ramon Garza went 2-for-3 with a double in his first collegiate at-bat, senior Ellis Bitar hit an RBI single in his home state and the baseball team went toe-to-toe with the nation's 10th-ranked team in its first game of the season, but Texas A&M held on for a 3-2 victory on Friday afternoon at Blue Bell Park. The Aggies then rolled to a 22-0 victory in the night cap.
 
The teams are scheduled to wrap up the non-league series at 2 p.m. CST Saturday.
 
Game 1: TEXAS A&M 3, CORNELL 2
The Aggies opened the scoring in the second, but the Big Red countered immediately. Garza led off the third with a double over the head of the right fielder, then senior senior Ryan Krainz worked a walk. Senior Ellis Bitar was hit on the helmet with the next pitch to loads the bases, then senior Dale Wickham hit a ball off the fists that never got past the pitcher – but it was enough to allow Garza to score.
 
A&M struck for two more in the fifth just after the departure of senior starter Tommy Morris. Cornell got one back in the seventh after senior Kyle Gallagher led off with a single, then moved up to second on a groundout. Garza's single to left put runners on the corners, then Bitar – from Katy, Texas just a couple hours down the road – laced another single through the right side to plate the Big Red's second run.
 
Cornell got the potential tying run as far as second base with one out in the ninth after freshman Jason Apostle worked a one-out walk and moved up a base on a passed ball. But a groundout and flyout followed, and the Aggies held on for the win.
 
Game 2: TEXAS A&M 22, CORNELL 0
The Aggies plated seven runs and chased the Big Red's starter in the first inning, then kept the pedal down to build a 16-run lead by the third.
 
Cornell was limited to just three hits, singles off the bats of senior Pierre Le Dorze, junior Josh Arndt and Gallagher.