Texas A&M baseball isn’t fighting for its NCAA Tournament life, but there’s something at stake in Friday’s SEC Tournament game.
The Aggies (39-13) hope to take down Auburn and solidify their case to be a top-eight seed in the upcoming national tournament. That would mean A&M would host a super regional, as it did in 2024, when it came just an out away from an NCAA title.
Can Michael Earley and the Aggies find revenage against a Tigers team that won the regular-season series between these two teams? Follow along for updates from the action in Hoover, Ala.
Bingaman takes a 1-2 pitch from Sdao deep to left field. After two outs, two more reach for the Tigers but Sdao struck out Belza.
The heart of A&M’s lineup goes foulout, groundout, groundout on 11 pitches.
Shane Sdao takes the mound for A&M. He struck out McCraine before A&M won a challenge on a 2-1 pitch that was called a strike. Belza then flied out. But back-to-back two-out doubles by Carter and Rembert gave Auburn a 6-0 advantage.
After a stikeout, Kellner once again reaches before the lineup turns over. But Grahovac grounds into a double play; the Aggies are now 0-for-6 with runners on base.
The sophomore right-hander works another clean inning, inducing two groundouts and a flyout.
Duer stuck out before Harrison walked. Auburn challenged 2-0 pitch from Alvarez to Royo but it was confirmed as a ball. The Tigers have one challenge left. A fielder’s choice and stikeout give Alvarez four shutout innings.
Auburn’s top three hitters went down in order.
Binderup and Kellner walked to start the inning then advanced to second and third on a wild pitch. But Alvarez escape unscathed as the Aggies’ top two hitters struck out and Hacopian flied out on a 3-2 pitch. Oh, and Auburn tried to challenge a 2-2 pitch that was deemed a ball using the conference’s newly unveiled automated ball-strike system, but the call was upheld.
The McCraines strike out before an error at shortstop allows Belza to reach. But Lyons get Carter looking to end the half-inning.
Two strikeouts sandwiched around a groundout mean Auburn is batting once again.
A home run by Mason McCraine was followed by two singles and Darden’s pulled after just an inning pitched. Right-hander Gavin Lyons took the mound and was greeted with a sacrifice bunt to put two runners in scoring position and one out. Fralick’s double brought the runners home and it’s 3-0 Tigers. Bingaman grounded out but Guevara’s two-out single makes it 4-0.
Top 1: Darden struck out the first two then ran into trouble. A walk and a single gave way to a double by Terrell. Brandon McCraine grounded out, but Auburn’s up 1-0.
Bottom 1: A single and a fielder’s choice is all the Aggies can muster in response.
Where: Hoover Met in Alabama