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OLE MISS 1, TEXAS A&M 0
— by Erik Mauro
For the third day in a row, Texas A&M kicked off SEC Tournament action in the morning game of the SEC Baseball tournament. They knocked off Florida in the first game in walk off fashion, and then lost in walk off fashion to the Georgia Bulldogs yesterday.
Today’s game against the Ole Miss Rebels was an elimination game. Like yesterday, this one was scoreless until the ninth inning. In fact, Ole Miss was being no hit until the ninth inning by Aggie starter John Doxakis. Doxakis struck out ten Rebels before giving way to Bryce Miller. Thomas Dillard promptly singled, ending the no-hitter, and then with two outs Cole Zabowski hit a double, scoring Dillard for the only run of the game.
On the other side, Doug Nikhazy started for Ole Miss, and he also pitched eight innings, but struck out just two. Parker Caracci worked around a ninth-inning double to record his ninth save of the season.
For Texas A&M, it’s now a waiting game. They head into Selection Monday as a lock for the Field of 64, it’s just a matter of being one of the 16 host sites or not. As for the Rebs, the move to the Friday 3 p.m. ET slot, with their opponent still up in the air.
GEORGIA 3, ARKANSAS 1
— by Erik Mauro
The Georgia Bulldogs sure love to make their fans sweat, that’s for sure. For the second straight day, they won a game in their last at bat, this time against the Arkansas Razorbacks.
The Hogs held a 1-0 lead until the seventh inning. Yesterday’s hero, Cam Shepherd singled to lead off the inning, and was doubled home by pinch-hitter Connor Tate two batters later. Then in the bottom of the eighth, Aaron Schunk would lead off with a double, and Shepherd would walk. Patrick Sullivan would deliver the final blow with a two-run double.
Schunk would then move from the hot corner to the mound to record his 12th save of the year in the ninth inning.
The Bulldogs now advance all the way to Saturday, and await the winner of Ole Miss and Arkansas.
LSU 4, AUBURN 3
— by Erik Mauro
The second game of the day stole the show. Auburn needed a win to feel good about their spot in the postseason.
LSU got the ball rolling early in the bottom of the first inning, Josh Smith led off with a double, and scored two hitters later, a groundout by Zach Watson. The score stayed 1-0 until the 7th inning, when the other Tigers at Auburn would break through. Kason Howell hit an RBI single with two outs, followed by a go-ahead double by Judd Ward. LSU would even the game at two in the bottom of the inning on a two-out single by Josh Smith. 2-all headed to the eighth.
Auburn would retake the lead once again, Matt Scheffler doubled, and then with two outs Edouard Julien dumped one into center fielder, scoring Scheffler. The Tigers were closing in on a much-needed win.
In the bottom of the ninth, LSU led off with singles by Giovanni DiGiacomo and Saul Garza. Garza would go to second after Auburn tried to get DiGiacomo at third. Brandt Broussard lined out, and then one of the weirdest plays you will ever see. Brooks Fuller came in to try and finish the game off. He threw a pitch in the dirt, Scheffler couldn’t find it, and he kicked the ball away himself. DiGiacomo scored the tying run, and a throwing error by the first baseman Woley allowed the second run to score and LSU walked off 4-3.
That is a devastating way to lose for Auburn. They were in the grasp of securing their spot in the Field of 64. Now, it’s just a waiting game. The metrics favor them in terms of RPI and strength of schedule, but the losing conference record coupled with 15-21 against the top 50 may make them sweat a little. D1Baseball projected them as a 3-seed headed into today’s game.
LSU now moves to the 7:30 ET slot tomorrow, opponent TBD.