Though No. 3 Texas A&M baseball secured its third SEC series win, No. 22 South Carolina got some measure of revenge, preventing the sweep with a 6-5 win as well as ending A&M’s eight-game winning streak.
Right from the get-go, the Gamecocks applied pressure in the first inning as junior LHP Matthew Becker headlined a 1-2-3 start while sophomore RF Ethan Petry smoked the ball to right field to score two runs.
Not long after, junior LF Kennedy Jones tacked onto South Carolina’s lead with a solo homer. With all the momentum and as Becker retired the third frame with another 1-2-3 punch, it was the transfers that got things going for the Maroon and White.
Coming off notable hitting performances in the first two games with three hits and six RBI, graduate DH Hayden Schott picked up A&M’s first point with an RBI single.
Despite the response, South Carolina gave A&M sophomore LHP Justin Lamkin his first loss of the season as in 3.1 innings played, the southpaw gave up six hits, five runs and two walks to finish with 3.41 ERA as freshman RHP Weston Moss came in as relief.
Unfortunately for Moss, the Gamecocks stayed hot at the bats as they scored back-to-back RBI singles thanks to a Jones walk and fielder’s choice for Petry.
After a scoreless fifth inning headlined by both bullpens, A&M’s saving grace came in the form of Schott once again as the Columbia transfer scored a two-run homer to pull the Aggies within two.
Stay @SchottHayden#GigEm pic.twitter.com/te3d3nGtcf
— Texas A&M Baseball (@AggieBaseball) April 7, 2024
In relief, junior RHP Josh Stewart closed out the sixth inning, striking Jones out and catching graduate 2B Parker Noland stealing to secure A&M’s best inning of the day.
Just as high as A&M was sailing, it came crashing down as South Carolina’s senior LHP Garrett Gainey speared a 1-2-3 inning. After being held scoreless in two straight innings, the Gamecocks reaffirmed the lead behind senior C Dalton Reeves’s sac fly for an RBI single.
Though A&M secured the series win on Saturday, April 6, the Aggies gave a last-ditch effort to try to make it a sweep as sophomore LF Jace LaViolette scored a solo homer to start the comeback.
Into the trees in center goes Lord Tubbington #GigEm x @JaceLaViolette2 pic.twitter.com/6fjVosgtpz
— Texas A&M Baseball (@AggieBaseball) April 7, 2024
Junior SS Ali Camarillo pulled the Aggies within one with a single up the middle to bring home junior RF Braden Montgomery. On the mound, junior RHP Brad Rudis kept the comeback alive as he finished the eighth keeping the Gamecocks scoreless.
However, it was too little, too late as Gainey put the finishing touches, headlining another baseless inning to give South Carolina its lone win of the weekend.
Coming back home to Blue Bell Park, the Aggies will welcome UTSA on Tuesday, April 9 for an early week showdown.
