May 14, 2026, 5:08 a.m. CT<\/p>\n
No. 7 Texas A&M<\/a> (37\u201311, 16\u201310 SEC) closes out the regular season this weekend against No.\u202f13 Mississippi State (38\u201314, 15\u201312 SEC), a matchup loaded with national\u2011seeding implications as both programs fight to stabilize their footing entering the postseason.<\/p>\n At one point, the Aggies were the hottest team in college baseball and looked like a lock for a top\u2011eight national seed. But a wave of injuries and a lineup shuffle have cooled their momentum, resulting in back\u2011to\u2011back SEC series losses. Adding to the challenge, ace right\u2011hander Aiden Sims will miss the weekend<\/a> as he nurses arm soreness, prompting head coach Michael Earley to hold him out as a precaution.<\/p>\n Offensively, A&M still has depth, but the production has dipped. The Aggies have scored more than five runs in an SEC game only twice over their last eight contests, a stark contrast from the early\u2011season stretch when they averaged nearly nine runs per game. With the pitching staff battling inconsistency and short\u2011handed again this weekend, the lineup needs to rediscover its rhythm<\/a>. Realistically, A&M may need seven\u2011plus runs per game to secure a series win and solidify its national\u2011seed re\u0301sume\u0301.<\/p>\n Mississippi State, meanwhile, remains one of the sport\u2019s true blue\u2011bloods, dangerous even in a season marked by its own SEC struggles. The Bulldogs have dropped two straight conference series and sit only a few games above .500 in league play, but their pitching staff remains elite in one area. Strikeouts. MSU enters the weekend with 580 punchouts, one of the highest totals in the country, and has the swing\u2011and\u2011miss stuff to disrupt any lineup.<\/p>\n This weekend marks the 46th meeting<\/a> between the programs, with Mississippi State holding a narrow 23\u201322 edge. Since 2017, the series has been a true back\u2011and\u2011forth battle, with the teams trading series wins. The Aggies took the most recent matchup, a dominant 9\u20130 victory in last year\u2019s SEC Tournament.<\/p>\n Need a news break? Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!<\/a><\/p>\n With postseason positioning on the line and both teams searching for late\u2011season stability, this series has all the makings of a tense, high\u2011leverage finish<\/a> to SEC play.<\/p>\n Below is all the information for the series:<\/p>\n GAME SCHEDULE<\/p>\n Game 1 – May 14 at 6 p.m. CT<\/p>\n Channel: SEC Network +<\/p>\n Texas A&M<\/a>: LHP Ethan Darden<\/p>\n Stats: 4-1, 3.33 ERA, 27.0 IP, 20 K, 12 BB<\/p>\n Mississippi State: LHP Tomas Valincius<\/p>\n Stats: 8-2, 2.52 ERA, 75.0 IP, 105 K, 16 BB<\/p>\n ______________________________________________<\/p>\n Game 2 – May 15 at 4 p.m. CT<\/p>\n Channel: SEC Network +<\/p>\n Texas A&M: TBD<\/p>\n Stats: N\/A<\/p>\n Mississippi State: RHP Duke Stone<\/p>\n Stats: 6-1, 4.65 ERA, 62.0 IP, 85 K, 24 BB<\/p>\n ______________________________________________<\/p>\n Game 3 – May 16 at 5 p.m. CT<\/p>\n Streaming: SEC Network<\/p>\n Texas A&M: TBD<\/p>\n Stats: N\/A<\/p>\n Mississippi State: TBD<\/p>\n Stats: N\/A<\/p>\n WAYS TO FOLLOW THE SERIES<\/p>\n TV\/Streaming: SEC Network+ \/ ESPN App<\/p>\n Radio:\u00a0Locally Sports Radio 1150\/93.7 The Zone<\/p>\n Social:\u00a0Follow the @AggiesBaseball<\/a>\u00a0on X for updates<\/p>\n Internet:\u00a012thMan.com \/ 12th Man Mobile app for live play-by-play<\/p>\n Contact\/Follow us\u00a0@AggiesWire<\/a>\u00a0on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on\u00a0Facebook<\/a>\u00a0to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on X:\u00a0@whosnextsports1<\/a>.<\/p>\n