No. 15 Texas A&M stuns No. 1 LSU with late rally

BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Stanley Tucker delivered a go-ahead single and the No. 15 Texas A&M Aggies scored four times in the bottom of the eighth to come back and take down No. 1 LSU, 8-6, Sunday afternoon at Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park.

The Tigers (18-2, 2-1 SEC) quickly got on the board with four runs in the first inning and another in the second, but freshman Justin Lamkin stole the show on the mound for the Aggies (14-6). , 1-2 SEC) with 4.1 innings of relief to keep LSU where it is and give the Aggie offense a chance to attack again.

Still, the Aggies trailed 6-4 entering the eighth before loading the bases with nobody out against Chase Shores and Christian Little. The latter looked like they could break out of the jam with a sustained strikeout, but a walk to Kasen Wells cut the lead to 6-5 and Tucker played the role of hero one batter later with a two-out single. left side to put Texas A&M in front for the first and last time.

Hunter Haas then closed the inning and had his own fourth hit with an RBI single to provide some insurance for Will Johnston in the ninth and the junior lefty did the rest, striking out a single and coaxing two fly balls to end the scoreless inning. and clinch the win.

Johnston finished with three strikeouts and allowed just one hit in 3.0 scoreless innings, improving his record to 2-0 with the win. Little fell to 2-1 for the Tigers and one of four LSU pitchers to have two power runs to their ledger.

TOP AGGIE PERFORMERS

Hunter Haas – 4-for-5, 3 RBI, 2B

Will Johnston – (W, 2-0) 3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 3 K

Justin Lamkin – 4.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 5 K

Stanley Tucker – 2-for-2, 2 RBI, 1 R, 1 BB

Jack Moss – 1-for-3, HR, RBI, 2 BB

GAME SUMMARY

T1 | LSU 4, GUEST 0 After a fielding error that loaded the bases, Gavin Dugas was given an RBI walk that allowed Tre’ Morgan to score. Josh Pearson’s two-RBI single sent Tommy White and Dylan Crews to home plate. An additional single by Jordan Thompson sent Dugas in to score another run for the Tigers.

B1 | LSU 4, TAMU 1 Jack Moss got the Aggies on the board with a solo home run with two outs in the inning, his first homer of the 2023 season.

T2 | LSU 5, TAMU 1 Collecting his second run of the day, Crews doubled to right-center and was sent home on White’s single through left.

B3 | LSU 5, TAMU 2 Singles by Kaeden Kent and Haas set the table and consecutive wild pitches from LSU starter Thatcher Hurd brought Kent across the plate for another Aggie run.

B5 | LSU5, TAMU4 The bottom of the order started with Max Kaufer and Stanley Tucker each pinch hitting and reaching base on a walk and a single to open the inning. Haas then laced a two-run double into the right-center field gap to cut the lead to 5-4. The Aggies continued to threaten to tie it, but LSU’s relievers were able to get a key inning-ending play to keep the Tigers ahead.

T7 | LSU 6, GUEST 4 Brady Neal’s sacrifice fly to left field sent Pearson to complete the trip on the bases.

B8 | TAMU8, LSU6 It took just three batters to open the sack against Shores, starting with a single by Austin Bost, Ryan Targac was hit by a pitch and Jace LaViolette drew a walk. That prompted the Tigers to turn to Little out of the pen and he responded with consecutive strikeouts from Jordan Thompson and pinch hitter Trevor Werner, but Kasen Wells walked to cut the lead to a run and Tucker followed that up with a walk. hit that brought Targac and LaViolette. A stole second and Haas fielded the ball on the next pitch, beating an infield strike as Wells scored to give the Aggies a two-run lead.

TEXAS A&M

Head Coach Jim Schlossnagle

In team character… “Every single win in this league counts, and we must avoid sweeps at all costs, especially at home. This says a lot about the character of our team. We were down a bunch of players, and you have a guy like Stanley Tucker who gives you a little spark and the amazing Justin Lamkin.

Junior Stanley Tucker

Keep moving forward with confidence… “The victory is important. We are locked in what is important now and it is important because the game is today. It is important. Going into next week now we have confidence to increase, and we are ready to continue for the rest of the year.

UP NEXT

The Maroon & White return to action on Tuesday when they take on Rice. First pitch is set for 6pm at Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park.