Texas A&M Aggies’ infielder Gavin Grahovac (9) catches an attempted pickoff throw as Southern California Trojans’ infielder Abbrie Covarrubias (7) dives back to first base as the Texas A&M Aggies face the USC Trojans in game seven of the NCAA College Station Regional at Blue Bell Park in College Station, Monday, June 1, 2026.
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Texas A&M Aggies’ infielder Boston Kellner (6) attempts to tag out Southern California Trojans’ infielder Abbrie Covarrubias (7) as the Texas A&M Aggies face the USC Trojans in game seven of the NCAA College Station Regional at Blue Bell Park in College Station, Monday, June 1, 2026.
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Texas A&M Aggies’ catcher Bear Harrison (16) is celebrated after a home run as the Texas A&M Aggies face the USC Trojans in game seven of the NCAA College Station Regional at Blue Bell Park in College Station, Monday, June 1, 2026.
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Texas A&M Aggies’ infielder Gavin Grahovac (9) catches a fly ball as the Texas A&M Aggies face the USC Trojans in game seven of the NCAA College Station Regional at Blue Bell Park in College Station, Monday, June 1, 2026.
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Texas A&M Aggies’ pitcher Clayton Freshcorn (25) pitches as the Texas A&M Aggies face the USC Trojans in game seven of the NCAA College Station Regional at Blue Bell Park in College Station, Monday, June 1, 2026.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Texas A&M Aggies’ infielder Boston Kellner (6) throws infield as the Texas A&M Aggies face the USC Trojans in game seven of the NCAA College Station Regional at Blue Bell Park in College Station, Monday, June 1, 2026.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Texas A&M Aggies’ infielder Ben Royo (10) runs to first base as the Texas A&M Aggies face the USC Trojans in game seven of the NCAA College Station Regional at Blue Bell Park in College Station, Monday, June 1, 2026.
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Aggies cheer after a home run as the Texas A&M Aggies face the USC Trojans in game seven of the NCAA College Station Regional at Blue Bell Park in College Station, Monday, June 1, 2026.
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Texas A&M Aggies’ catcher Bear Harrison (16) runs home after scoring a home run as the Texas A&M Aggies face the USC Trojans in game seven of the NCAA College Station Regional at Blue Bell Park in College Station, Monday, June 1, 2026.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Texas A&M Aggies’ outfielder Jake Duer (3) throws infield as the Texas A&M Aggies face the USC Trojans in game seven of the NCAA College Station Regional at Blue Bell Park in College Station, Monday, June 1, 2026.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Texas A&M Aggies’ pitcher Clayton Freshcorn (25) attempts a pickoff throw as the Texas A&M Aggies face the USC Trojans in game seven of the NCAA College Station Regional at Blue Bell Park in College Station, Monday, June 1, 2026.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Texas A&M Aggies’ infielder Boston Kellner (6) passes to Texas A&M Aggies’ utility Nico Partida (2) as the Texas A&M Aggies face the USC Trojans in game seven of the NCAA College Station Regional at Blue Bell Park in College Station, Monday, June 1, 2026.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Texas A&M Aggies’ infielder Chris Hacopian (8) runs home as the Texas A&M Aggies face the USC Trojans in game seven of the NCAA College Station Regional at Blue Bell Park in College Station, Monday, June 1, 2026.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Texas A&M Aggies’ outfielder Caden Sorrell (13) throws infield as the Texas A&M Aggies face the USC Trojans in game seven of the NCAA College Station Regional at Blue Bell Park in College Station, Monday, June 1, 2026.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Texas A&M Aggies’ infielder Boston Kellner (6) reacts to Southern California Trojans’ infielder Abbrie Covarrubias (7) being marked as safe as the Texas A&M Aggies face the USC Trojans in game seven of the NCAA College Station Regional at Blue Bell Park in College Station, Monday, June 1, 2026.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Texas A&M Aggies’ outfielder Jorian Wilson (23) throws infield as the Texas A&M Aggies face the USC Trojans in game seven of the NCAA College Station Regional at Blue Bell Park in College Station, Monday, June 1, 2026.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Texas A&M Aggies’ infielder Ben Royo (10) throws infield as the Texas A&M Aggies face the USC Trojans in game seven of the NCAA College Station Regional at Blue Bell Park in College Station, Monday, June 1, 2026.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Texas A&M Aggies’ outfielder Jake Duer (3) watches his hit as he runs to first base as the Texas A&M Aggies face the USC Trojans in game seven of the NCAA College Station Regional at Blue Bell Park in College Station, Monday, June 1, 2026.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Texas A&M Aggies’ infielder Ben Royo (10) catches a fly ball as the Texas A&M Aggies face the USC Trojans in game seven of the NCAA College Station Regional at Blue Bell Park in College Station, Monday, June 1, 2026.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Teammates cheer on Texas A&M Aggies’ pitcher Clayton Freshcorn (25) as he leaves the game as the Texas A&M Aggies face the USC Trojans in game seven of the NCAA College Station Regional at Blue Bell Park in College Station, Monday, June 1, 2026.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Texas A&M Aggies’ pitcher Shane Sdao (38) pitches as the Texas A&M Aggies face the USC Trojans in game seven of the NCAA College Station Regional at Blue Bell Park in College Station, Monday, June 1, 2026.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Trojans celebrate a home run as Texas A&M Aggies’ outfielder Jorian Wilson (23) watches the ball exit the field as the Texas A&M Aggies face the USC Trojans in game seven of the NCAA College Station Regional at Blue Bell Park in College Station, Monday, June 1, 2026.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Southern California Trojans’ catcher Augie Lopez (24) is celebrated after a home run as the Texas A&M Aggies face the USC Trojans in game seven of the NCAA College Station Regional at Blue Bell Park in College Station, Monday, June 1, 2026.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Southern California Trojans’ catcher Augie Lopez (24) is celebrated after a home run as the Texas A&M Aggies face the USC Trojans in game seven of the NCAA College Station Regional at Blue Bell Park in College Station, Monday, June 1, 2026.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Texas A&M Aggies’ outfielder Jorian Wilson (23) throws infield as the Texas A&M Aggies face the USC Trojans in game seven of the NCAA College Station Regional at Blue Bell Park in College Station, Monday, June 1, 2026.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Texas A&M Aggies’ outfielder Jake Duer (3) throws infield as the Texas A&M Aggies face the USC Trojans in game seven of the NCAA College Station Regional at Blue Bell Park in College Station, Monday, June 1, 2026.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Texas A&M Aggies’ catcher Bear Harrison (16) attempts to tag out Southern California Trojans’ outfielder Walter Urbon (16) at home plate as the Texas A&M Aggies face the USC Trojans in game seven of the NCAA College Station Regional at Blue Bell Park in College Station, Monday, June 1, 2026.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Texas A&M Aggies’ catcher Bear Harrison (16) attempts to tag out Southern California Trojans’ outfielder Walter Urbon (16) at home plate as the Texas A&M Aggies face the USC Trojans in game seven of the NCAA College Station Regional at Blue Bell Park in College Station, Monday, June 1, 2026.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Texas A&M Aggies’ catcher Bear Harrison (16) reacts to Southern California Trojans’ outfielder Walter Urbon (16) being called safe as the Texas A&M Aggies face the USC Trojans in game seven of the NCAA College Station Regional at Blue Bell Park in College Station, Monday, June 1, 2026.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Texas A&M Aggies’ pitcher Gavin Lyons (27) pitches as the Texas A&M Aggies face the USC Trojans in game seven of the NCAA College Station Regional at Blue Bell Park in College Station, Monday, June 1, 2026.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Texas A&M Aggies’ infielder Chris Hacopian (8) runs back to first base to avoid a pick off as the Texas A&M Aggies face the USC Trojans in game seven of the NCAA College Station Regional at Blue Bell Park in College Station, Monday, June 1, 2026.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
As Texas A&M baseball prepared Monday to take on USC, a sense of grim foreboding surrounded the fan base.
The Aggies’ bullpen was thin and on short rest. They lost right-hander Aiden Sims for the season to injury, so their chances rested on a few things: Clayton Freshcorn being able to dominate as a starter as he had as a closer, and the offense morphing back into the run-stacking machine that carried A&M (41-16) through most of the season.
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Catcher Bear Harrison hit a solo home run in the third to give A&M a 1-0 lead. Bubbles flowed through Blue Bell Park; little did fans know that’d be the final time this year. USC scored seven unanswered runs to defeat A&M 7-1, ending its season.
MORE: Aggies cruise into regional final
“We had a hell of a year, and obviously this is not the outcome we wanted,” A&M head coach Michael Earley said.
The Aggies had a tough draw. USC (47-16) came into the College Station Regional ranked ninth in RPI, the highest among all the second seeds in the NCAA tournament. And although it fell to Texas State 5-4 in the opening game, the Trojans got red-hot immediately afterwards and scored at least 10 runs in their next three wins.
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A&M’s loss can be chalked up to USC’s talent. It’s also fair to bring up the injured, inconsistent pitching staff that gave up 21 runs in two losses to the Trojans. But the Aggies spent an entire regular season battling in the best conference baseball has to offer. They’ve prevailed in slugfests where the arms gave up seven or more runs.
Texas A&M Aggies’ utility Nico Partida (2) bats as the Texas A&M Aggies face the USC Trojans in game seven of the NCAA College Station Regional at Blue Bell Park in College Station, Monday, June 1, 2026.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Freshcorn went 6 ⅔ innings and held USC to five runs. It’s hard to ask for more from someone who set career-highs in innings pitched (6⅔) and pitches thrown (101). What really hurt is that A&M had its worst two-game offensive stretch of the season at exactly the wrong time.
“They just kept us off balance,” Earley said. “Really tough staff, tough team to deal with.”
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The Trojans boast some of the best pitching depth in the nation, and it proved too much for the Aggies to handle. Earley said A&M’s approach is built upon drawing walks and attacking strikes. USC gave up two walks throughout the night. Although the Trojans threw 71.5% of their pitches for strikes, Earley said they rarely were attackable pitches.
Still, one might expect that the trio of Caden Sorrell, Gavin Grahovac and Chris Hacopien would eventually break through. The potential MLB draftees are some of the most talented hitters in the nation. Over the two games, they went 5-for-24 in their plate appearances with two RBIs.
“It’s a tough sport, and sometimes things don’t go your way, but it wasn’t due to a lack of effort,” Earley said.
The Aggies are projected to lose the core of their lineup — Sorrell, Grahovac, Hacopien and Harrison — to the MLB Draft. Earley understands the task he has at hand. Replacing their production will require younger players to grow, and the addition of recruits through high school and the transfer portal.
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Even if A&M replaces its lost hitting talent immediately, pitching remains questionable. The team’s earned run average has increased in each of the past two seasons. TexAgs reported Tuesday that pitching coach Jason Kelly will not return to the team, a sign that change is already underway.
“We’re always looking at everything,” Earley said. “We want to get back to this point and get past this point.”