Texas A&M (16-15, 3-9 SEC) takes games 2 and 3 against No.1 Tennessee (28-4, 9-3 SEC) at Lindsey Nelson Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on Saturday night to win their first SEC series.
The Aggies must have taken the no-hit run-rule loss in Game 1 personally, as they returned on Saturday and demolished the No. 1 team in the country, outscoring them 26-9 and hitting 11 home runs in a much-needed morale boost. In both games, the players' approach at the plate improved, and as the day progressed, the baseballs turned into the size of beachballs in the eyes of the Aggie batters.
Game Two Recap
A&M did not play clean baseball by any means but still found a way to pick up a much-needed SEC win with lights out pitching from starter Justin Lamkin, who only gave three runs on seven hits through six innings of work. Then reliever Weston Moss closed out the game, allowing zero runs and two hits through three innings.
However, it was the long ball that showed up in force. Caden Sorrel tied the game early with a solo shot to lock it up at 1-1 in the top of the second inning. Then, after the Vols plated a run in the bottom of the second, Bear Harrison hit a home run over the left-center wall to tie it up for a second time at 2-2. Junior All-American Jace LaViolette was able to create a little breathing room when he hit a two-run home in the top of the fifth, but Tennessee responded with a single run in the bottom of the frame, cutting the A&M lead to 4-3
Following a single run scored on a wild pitch in the sixth, Sorrel went yard for the second time, pushing the lead to 6-3. The final two runs came in the top of the eighth inning, with Terrence Kiel II hitting a double, scoring Ben Royo and Jamal George across the plate for a final score of 9-3.
GAME NOTES:
- Terrence Kiel & Bear Harrison lead the team with three hits each
- Texas A&M had 11 hits, 4 home runs, and struck out 14 times
- Texas A&M stole six bases
- Texas A&M committed two errors
Game Three Recap
Saturday night was one for the ages as the Aggies returned the favor run-ruling Tennessee to claim their first SEC series win of the season. A&M was in control the entire game and jumped on the Vols early and keep their foot on the gas.
With two outs, Wyatt Henseler and Caden Sorrell both hit singles, and were brought home a three-run homer by Harrison for an early 3-0 lead. After a scoreless second inning, Sorrell got his second hit of the night that sent LaViolette across the plate. Tennessee would score two runs on four hits to cut the lead in half, but in the top of the sixth, the Aggies would steal any momentum gained.
Ben Royo got the inning started with a solo shot, then after singles by Kiel and LaViolette, Henseler went yard, clearing the bases. Kaeden Kent would get in on the action, hitting a two-out two-run home runs, blowing up the lead to 10-2 halfway through the game. A quick three-up, three-down inning put a red-hot Aggie team back at the plate. In a carbon copy of the previous inning, the scoring started with home runs from both Royo and Henseler again. The final run came via another home run, this time off the bat of Sorrell.
Tennessee would score four runs thorough three innings to extend the game. A&M would follow up with three runs off a pair of singles by Hayden Schott and Kiel, putting the game back in run-rule territory. A trio of strikeouts in the bottom ...
