Down three runs with two outs in the top of the ninth, Texas A&M was staring defeat square in the eye.
But before defeat could take the Aggies for the second day in a row, the maroon and white had other ideas.
Walker Pennington blasted a three-run homer in the top of the ninth, giving A&M (19-10, 3-6 SEC) a 4-3 lead it would not relinquish – clinching the series over LSU (19-10, 5-4 SEC) Saturday afternoon in Baton Rouge.
In the previous at-bat, Hunter Coleman ripped a single up the middle to score Joel Davis from second, which cut the Tigers’ lead to 3-1.
Pennington – who entered the game in the seventh inning – then came to plate and put the Aggies ahead after crushing the ball over the left field stands to put A&M ahead when it seemed as if LSU would take the game.
In the home-half of the ninth, Mitchell Kilkenny sat the Tiger batters down in order, as Nick Choruby made a diving catch in the left centerfield gap to end the game. Kilkenny earned his second save of the year.
A&M starting pitcher Corbin Martin (3-2) was stellar, throwing a career-high eight innings, giving up three runs on just four hits and striking out five.
Eric Walker was incredible for LSU as well, tossing seven scoreless innings and allowing just three hits, striking out seven to just a single walk. The freshman had retired 17 of 18 A&M batters before being pulled in favor of Hunter Newman.
LSU broke the game open in the bottom of the fourth, scoring two in the frame. Antoine Duplantis led off with a single, the first hit of the game for the Tigers. On the next at-bat, Kramer Robertson took a letter-high fastball four rows deep into the left field stands for a home run, giving LSU an early 2-0 advantage.
The Tigers added another run in the fifth, as Zach Watson punched a single up the middle and just beneath the glove of A&M shortstop Austin Homan – scoring Beau Jordan from third.
A&M returns to action this Tuesday when it hosts Dallas Baptist, the first home game for the Aggies in two weeks. First pitch is slated for 6:32 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on SEC Network Plus.
