Following an electric 9-7 comeback victory on Friday night, Texas A&M baseball found itself adrift in emotional seas as six hit batters led to a 14-10 defeat on an otherwise magical afternoon for junior centerfielder Jace LaViolette.

Saturday’s contest was a snapshot of the early troubles that nearly doomed the Maroon and White’s comeback bid in the previous game as free passes became runs with the help of a stout Wildcat offense. The Aggie defense, however, would not shy away from the opportunity to shine amid rocky play on the mound.

Pitching through traffic has become the staple of junior left-handed pitcher Justin Lamkin, who stuck by his identity as he stranded a pair of runners in his five innings of work. However, his walks and hit batters would prove costly, contributing to the seven earned runs Kentucky was able to generate off the lefty.

The real attention at the corner of Bush and Olsen was centered solely on MLB’s top college prospect and a chance to witness something incredible.

The anticipation of seemingly every at-bat for LaViolette had reached its boiling point after tying A&M’s career home run record with his 56th on March 21. Each swing thereafter brought with it the opportunity to break through and go down as the swing. 

The swing to write history. The swing to capture all the emotions felt in a stellar career. The swing to represent respect, excellence, selfless service, leadership and, above all, loyalty.

Then, finally, LaViolette got the swing and made certain that his name will forever live on in Aggie history. 

The Katy native mustered his strength on a 2-1 count, standing motionless on a stare-down of senior right-handed pitcher Nic McCay, who would play a necessary part in LaViolette’s accomplishment. 

With an echoing cry of a bat, the 12th Man saw the mid-afternoon air carry with it a page of the record book as the outstretched arms of Section 12 welcomed the elated cheers of Olsen Field’s faithful — history had just been made.

“I’m blessed and honored to have done this,” LaViolette said. “It was great to be able to share this moment with my teammates, it’s all about the 56 guys in the locker room.”

Emotions wouldn’t dwindle following LaViolette’s record feat, as it was time for the highly anticipated return of sophomore designated hitter Caden Sorrell. In his first game back since a hamstring injury, Sorrell was slated for the DH spot as he aims to reach a full recovery. 

The former All-SEC Freshman honoree ignited rousing yells from Olsen Field as his high-arching 111 mph bomb drifted into the Kentucky bullpen for his first home run of the year.

“I knew he would have a great game and I have the most confidence in him,” coach Michael Earley said. “I’m proud of him and he did a great job. Wouldn’t have anyone else out there.”

Kentucky would pay no mind to the triumphs of A&M’s heroes, making their presence known with a two-run homer of their own to even the score 3-3. The home run party would not end for the Maroon and White so easily, as a response was quickly dispatched by way of graduate third baseman Wyatt Henseler, who let a 427-foot cannon shot notch his 60th career home run, leading active Division I players thanks to his stellar career at Penn.

The emergence of Rice transfer INF Ben Royo has paid dividends in the past three contests, with Saturday’s game being no different. The Aggies’ fourth home run made the most of a walk issued to senior first baseman Gavin Kash, who found himself stepping safely on home plate to organize a welcoming party for Royo.

Fielding, once a major hindrance to the Aggies’ success, saw a stellar outing thanks to big-time catches from freshman left fielder Sawyer Farr, who was playing his second consecutive game at left field. The Fightin’ Farmers took care to pick off two runners and appeared more fluid with consistency at their respective positions.

As the Aggies hung onto a slim lead over the Wildcats, Lamkin’s four hit batters loomed over College Station skies like an impending thunderstorm, ready to strike lightning at any point. For Earley’s squad, sophomore RHP Clayton Freshcorn was set to face the challenge left behind by his predecessor. 

A fifth hit batter put the Maroon and White in a 7-6 ditch, one that threatened to become a sinkhole when Freshcorn was unable to record an out and gave redshirt sophomore RHP Luke Jackson tough sledding in the sixth inning. With no margin for error, a boiling pot was left bubbling over until it simmered into an 11-6 deficit for the Aggies, hoping their bats could catch fire once again.

“Free passes lead to runs and it’s not something we like to see take us down,” Early said. 

Since March 18, the tear of sophomore catcher Bear Harrison has yet to take a game off. The Saint Mary’s transfer has seen his batting average skyrocket since a change in his swing, climbing from .077 to .333 since his two home run performance against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. 

By the sixth inning, Harrison’s contributions included a pair of doubles, though his services would be far from complete as the game continued.

The relief appearance of freshman LHP Caden McCoy proved to be crucial in keeping the fight alive in the A&M dugout. But once again, the Aggies found themselves down in the late innings and holding on to hope that their batting order reached their potential when needed the most.

The push to crack the levee that was redshirt freshman RHP Tommy Skelding was spearheaded by none other than LaViolette, a player whose efficiency and legacy extend far beyond the long ball. 

The new home run king and his company managed to pierce through Skelding’s defenses, ushering in a new face on the mound and a familiar Harrison emerging from his den. With a roaring growl, Harrison hit his fifth home run of the season, this time a 405-foot grand slam to put his crew within one with six outs to recapture the lead.

Kentucky’s fourth home run added to the difficulty that awaited in the return of the A&M batting order, though the task never seemed too far out of reach in a game that had already featured five different Aggie batters going yard. 

Down to its last three outs, A&M was keen on showing that it had not breathed its last. Royo managed his second hit of the game while the top of the order was in charge of giving the Aggies one more chance. 

Now with just one out remaining, the bases were loaded, and the push continued forward. A quiet day for freshman OF Terrence Kiel II quickly became a scream of nerves and pressure for the young rookie. Unsurprisingly, the Atlanta native was up to the task, walking in a run and bringing Sorrell back to the plate. 

The push was to no avail, however, as a fly out quieted a crowd hoping to see another comeback victory. 

“Records mean a lot but ultimately it’s about victories,” LaViolette said. “But I’m sure you can see it’s coming together and we’re going to go out and compete tomorrow.”

Although the game didn’t have the ideal result for the Maroon and White, Earley and Co. fought to the end again as Kentucky forced a game three rubber match. Historic feats and comebacks made for a whirlwind of emotion as the 2025 campaign still appears to be on a rebounding curve.

“It’s not about how you start,” Sorrell said. “It’s about how you finish.”

The Aggies look to capture their first Southeastern Conference series of the year in a 1 p.m. finale against Kentucky on March 30.