Following a 10-5 win against the Ole Miss Rebels in Game 1, Texas A&M was unable to take the series, losing Game 2’s matchup 14-6 in Oxford, Miss., on May 20.
The Aggies started off the game hot at the plate. After sophomore infielder Jack Moss singled out to left field and graduate outfielder Dylan Rock was walked, junior outfielder Austin Bost sent a single through the left field, allowing Moss to score the first run of the night. Junior outfielder Brett Minnich’s pop fly sent Bost and Rock stealing second and third, respectively. With two outs, graduate catcher Troy Claunch singled out to right field and both Bost and Rock ran home to gain an early 3-0 lead over the Rebels. Ole Miss responded back with a single run in the bottom of the first.
Ole Miss kept A&M away from home during the top of the second and notched two more runs during the bottom to even out the score at 3-3.
Continuing their defensive efforts throughout the third and fourth innings, the Aggies failed to score while the Rebels added five more runs to the score, going into the fifth inning leading, 8-3.
A&M got into action quickly to try to decrease Ole Miss’ lead during the top of the fifth, after Bost made it to third after being walked and a double from Minnich. Sophomore infielder Ryan Targac’s groundout to second gave Bost an opportunity to get the Aggies back on the board while Minnich reached third. Following a double from junior outfielder Jordan Thompson, Minnich ran home.
Unfortunately for the maroon and white, Ole Miss immediately had an answer. The Rebels added three more runs to their score and went into the sixth leading, 11-5.
Despite an attempt from A&M to lessen the lead with a single run from Rock during the sixth, the nail was sealed in the coffin when the Rebels sent one- and two-run homers out of Swayze Field during the seventh, giving Ole Miss its final score of 14-6.
The Aggies had several pitching changes throughout the game with sophomore righty Wyatt Tucker starting on the mound, pitching for 2.0 innings before being replaced by freshman righty Chris Cortez. Cortez was replaced during the third by freshman right-handed pitcher Brad Rudis who was then subbed out for righty sophomore Alex Magers. The mound’s final pitcher of the night was freshman right-handed pitcher Jack Hamilton.
A&M is currently tied with the Arkansas Razorbacks for first place in the SEC West, standing with an 18-11 record. With Arkansas’ 8-6 loss to Alabama on May 21, an A&M win or a Razorback loss will put A&M in first place for the first time in program history. The Aggies hold the tiebreaker in their hands while the Razorbacks take on the Crimson Tide in their final regular season game 30 minutes before the final game between A&M and Ole Miss.
The Aggies have one more shot to take the series and claim the SEC West title on May 21, with the first pitch slated for 1:32 p.m. at Swayze Field in Oxford.