COLLEGE STATION — In a game with five lead changes and a late-inning surge, Texas A&M baseball outlasted Texas Friday to take Game 1, 9-8.
The Longhorns 27-6, 9-4 SEC) blasted two home runs in the ninth inning to cut the deficit to just one. However, Aggies (26-7, 8-5) reliever Clayton Freshcorn settled down to get the final outs and take down Texas in the series opener.
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A&M used six runs in the final four innings to help secure the win.
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Texas A&M outfielder Caden Sorrell celebrates while rounding second base against Tennessee Tech on Feb. 13, 2026 at Blue Bell Park in College Station.
Cooper Daniels/Cooper Daniels/Texas A&M Athletics
The Aggies tallied seven hits, highlighted by first baseman Gavin Grahovac going 2-for-4 with a double and a triple. The Longhorns scraped to 10 hits with Aiden Robbins collecting three, including two home runs, including a solo shot in the ninth.
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The two teams used eight pitchers in the outing, with Texas using four relievers, as the in-state rivals traded blows throughout the night.
Sdao had a solid night with strikeouts, but left the outing on the hook for the loss. The left-hander pitched four innings, gave up four runs and five hits, struck out six, and walked three on 90 pitches.
Longhorns’ starting pitcher, Ruger Riojas, had an up-and-down night. The righty lasted five innings, giving up four runs and five hits. He struck out four and allowed two walks on 83 pitches.
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Next up for the Aggies is 2 p.m. Saturday as they turn to right-hander Aiden Moss to take the series win.
Final updates from the action:
Sorrell slapped a two-out single to right field, leading to a high chopper to third base by Hacopian that was an E5 and drove in another insurance run for the Aggies.
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A 1-2-3 inning for Freshcorn and the Aggies as the A&M pitcher is fired up coming off the mound following striking out two and inducing a foul ball popout.
Duer worked a one-out walk before Partida slapped a single through the right side. Kiel was then hit in the face with a pitch to load the bases with one out.
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From there, the Longhorns turned to left-handed reliever Ethan Walker. Wilson then ripped a loud out to left field that pushed across the Aggies’ eighth run. Texas once again went to the bullpen, bringing in right-hander Max Grubbs.
Pack started the inning with a single to center field. From there, Freschcorn struck out Borba and then popped up Becerra. Larson then flew out to center to end the frame.
Duer worked a leadoff walk that ended Riojas’s night. Texas turned to reliever Haiden Leffew. A passed ball advanced Duer to second, followed by a Partida walk to put two on. Kiel advanced both with a bunt down the third base line. Wilson then walked to load the bases, followed by Harrison drawing a four-pitch walk to drive in a run.
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The Longhorns then turned to right-hand reliever Brett Crossland, who proceeded to walk Kellner to tie the game. From there, Grahovac lifted a sac fly to right field to give the Aggies the lead 7-6.
Duplantier led off the inning with a softly hit single that he legged out. Presley Courville pinch hit for Livingston and laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance the runner to second. A dribbler to first by Mendoza pushed Duplantier to third with two outs. From there, Tinney hit a two-run home run to right field on a line that just got over the short fence.
A one-out triple by Grahovac led to Sorrell grounding out to second and driving in the tying run.
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A Tinney walk led to a two-run home run by Robbins to right field, giving the Longhorns the lead back. The blast chased Sdao from the game, and the Aggies turned to left-handed reliever Ethan Darden to get them out of the frame.
Partida led off the inning with a home run to left field to give the Aggies back the lead.
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A bloop single with one out by Larson was followed by Duplantier getting on with a fielder’s choice. From there, Livingston doubled down the right field line and drove him home to tie the game at 2-2.
Longhorns right fielder Duplantier lost a Kellner fly ball in the lights, and as a result, the Aggies’ shortstop was able to leg out a lead-off triple. Grahovac then proceeded to slap a double on the next pitch to drive him home to tie the game. A passed ball pushed Grahovac to third, allowing Sorrell to ground out to second base and drive him home.
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Mendoza was hit by a pitch, followed by a Tinney walk and a Robbins single to shallow center field to load the bases with one out. From there, Pack lifted a sac fly to right field to drive in the game’s first run.
Duer got on with a bouncing single to the left side, beating the shift to start the inning, before Partida worked a four-pitch walk. From there, Kiel bunted badly, and Riojas fielded it cleanly and threw out the runner headed for third. Wilson then struck out, and Harrison popped out to left to strand two.
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A one-out single was all Texas could muster in the inning as Sdao reached three strikeouts.
Aggies went down 1-2-3, with Grahovac coming three feet short of a leadoff home run to straightaway center field.
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A one-out walk was the only offense the Longhorns recorded in the frame.
1B Gavin Grahovac
CF Caden Sorrell
2B Chris Hacopian
DH Jake Duer
3B Nico Partida
LF Terrence Kiel II
RF Jorian Wilson
C Bear Harrison
SS Boston Kellner
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2B Ethan Mendoza
C Carson Tinney
CF Aiden Robbins
LF Anthony Pack Jr.
3B Casey Borba
SS Temo Becerra
1B Ashton Larson
RF Jayden Duplantier
DH Josh Livingston
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Where: Blue Bell Park, College Station
Reach Texas A&M beat reporter Tony Catalina via email at Anthony.Catalina@statesman.com.
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