The Aggies literally exploded in the eight inning, as they produced five more runs, making it 12-5, making it their first SEC Tournament Championship in school history.
Advertisement
“Very proud of our toughness this game”, Texas A&M’s coach Rob Childress said of his team’s come-from-behind win.
Even if SC falls short, it needs to avoid another blowout loss.
Smith, a junior, then allowed single runs in the third and fourth before being chased after a leadoff walk in the top of the fifth.
Aggies sluggers J.B. Moss and Nick Banks made the Gators pay for India’s miscue with a two-run double and a two-run homer, respectively, and A&M added five more runs in the eighth inning. Austin Homan smacked an RBI triple while facing a full count, extending the Aggies’ lead to 3-0.
However, it was the Aggies who took control at the beginning of the game, scoring two runs in the top of the first inning. USC got a run back in the third inning on a Marcus Mooney RBI single but that would be it for the Gamecocks. Barash doubled down the right field line to score White. Ole Miss will need at least four solid innings of work from Smith on Saturday if the Rebs want to advance to championship Sunday. If you didn’t put a name on it or what league and just looked at the numbers, we may get five or six. Birk then scored after Moroney reached base on a fielding error. The only run Carolina scored was unearned. Jonah Bride also had a base hit and owns a season-long seven-game hitting streak.
SC awaits word on the NCAA tournament field.
The college baseball selection show will air Monday at noon ET on ESPNU.
Short, who had allowed only seven earned runs this season, gave up six in two-thirds of an inning. Later in the frame, Eli White lined a two-out, run-scoring double.
“We have to make contact, especially left-handed hitters against right-handed pitchers”, Holbrook said.
Carolina was outscored 14-5 in its two losses. Texas A&M actually run-ruled the Commodores.
Top seed and 17th-ranked Coastal Carolina had to hold off scoring threats in the eighth and ninth innings but held on to defeat No. 4 seed Gardner-Webb in the second round of the Big South tournament. Regional play will start on Friday.
Gardner-Webb (37-20) scored once in the ninth to draw within 4-3.
USC had runners on first and second and one out in the sixth and TJ Hopkins popped up to shallow right and Chris Cullen grounded out.
Ole Miss cut the lead to 2-1 in the bottom of the second.
The Runnin’ Bulldogs answered in the top of the fifth, tying the game at 2, as Matt Simmons sliced an opposite field home run just inside the left-field foul pole. Jones knocked in Kendall with a sacrifice fly, cutting the Texas A&M lead to 10-3. Remillard then laid down a bunt single and G.K. Young lined an RBI single to bring home Owings.
“That’s tough when they score with two outs”, Destino said.
The Bulldogs again threatened in the eighth.
Errol Robinson made a helluva play off a deflected ball and Will Golsan made the catch and stretch. Maldonado scored on the play and Guthrie took second base on the errant throw.
In the ninth with one out, Simmons was hit by a pitch.
Advertisement
Schwarz doubled and tripled for Florida, which also got two RBIs from Danny Reyes. Morrison came out of the bullpen and Tyler Best reached on an infield single to score pinch runner Eric Jones and move Redmond to third. Ole Miss came close, but missed their chance when they tried to stick it out with James McArthur on the mound.
