Texas A&M (19-15, 5-9 SEC) destroyed visiting South Carolina with a run-rule 17-0 victory in Game 2 of the series in Blue Bell Park less than 24 hours after sophomore DH Caden Sorrell hit his game-winning home run in extra innings on Thursday night.
Winning 17-0 in the SEC is rare, but when you're on, you're on. From the bottom of the first to the final hour in the seventh, Texas A&M's performance at the plate, combined with Justin Lamkin's excellent day on the mound, has most of us wondering if the Aggies are officially back to playing like the No. 1-ranked preseason team, and after five consecutive wins, this might be the case.
It's easy to say that the return of Caden Sorrell is the primary reason for the program's recent success. While the sophomore has certainly delivered, this has been a collective team effort, especially when discussing the play of former Saint Mary's catcher Bear Harrison, who is hitting nearly .400 over the last two weeks.
Harrison's hit by a pitch during A&M's first plate appearance spurred four runs in the frame, and after Kaeden Kent's two-run homer in the third, Harrison delivered with a 2 RBI double, officially breaking the game wide open. Everyone was clicking offensively, including Jace LaVolette's two hits, totaling thirteen hits on the night, and capped off by, yes, Bear Harrison's grand slam in the bottom of the fifth, making it 15-0.
After two more runs came across in the sixth, senior Brad Rudis entered for Lamkin, striking out two to end the game in run-rule fashion in the seventh. Justin Lamkin's five Ks and three hits are a testament to his hard work to improve during the season and are very good signs moving forward.
Texas A&M has won five in a row and its second consecutive SEC series, looking to cap off an undefeated week on Sunday for Game 3. The Aggies will once again host the Gamecocks at 2:00 p.m. CT. The game will be available to stream on SEC Network+.
This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Texas A&M defeats South Carolina 17-0 in run-rule series win
