The ninth-ranked Aggies hit the road one final time in conference play, heading to Oxford, Miss., to take on No. 20 Ole Miss in another important top-25 SEC clash. Having lost five of their last seven games, the Rebels (32-17, 12-12 SEC) are searching for a statement series victory. Meanwhile, after a lackluster performance in a five-game homestand, Texas A&M (36-10, 15-8) wants redemption and set the tone for a final push in conference play to fuel a postseason run.
Just as they did last week, the Aggies
let a purple team from Texas take an early lead. Down 4-0 at home to Prairie View A&M (10-36, 6-18 SWAC), the Maroon and White avoided a Cinco de Mayo disaster and instead outscored the Panthers 16-3 across the final six innings. The 16-7 scoring fiesta saw Jake Duer finish a triple shy of the cycle in his sixth collegiate four-hit game (first with A&M) and four RBI. Gavin Grahovac homered and drove in three, while Wesley Jordan had his most complete game as an Aggie with four RBI and a three-run homer. On the mound, Juan Vargas was sharp to start tallying three strikeouts. Head coach Michael Earley may have found a new reliable arm in Hunter Bond. The hometown junior sat down all 10 Panthers he faced, retiring four via the strikeout.
The victory over Prairie View concluded the non-conference slate for the Maroon and White, finishing a sparkling 21-2, with losses away from home to #1 UCLA and Texas State.
As for the weekend, A&M will shake things up a little. They will be without star freshman Nico Partida at least for game one, who is still battling a hamstring strain. Additionally, coach Earley has decided to make a change in the rotation. Senior southpaw Ethan Darden will replace Shane Sdao on the bump in Friday’s opener, while Sims gets the ball in game two. A “to-be-announced” starter is still the game plan for the finale, with Weston Moss, Sdao, and Gavin Lyons all possible choices. Sdao might be used on Friday behind Darden, who holds a 2.88 ERA across 20 appearances at A&M. Darden makes his first start as an Aggie and first in his career since April 12, 2025, against Stanford as a Clemson Tiger.
For as good as the Aggie offense is, they were lackluster last weekend. A bounce-back weekend feels likely, especially since the bats only hit five longballs at home against Auburn. The offense needs to find its rhythm with the postseason on the horizon, and more importantly, before a slugfest likely ensues with offense-heavy Mississippi State next weekend.
Now to #20 Ole Miss. The Rebels have dropped their last two weekend series, falling to SEC leader Georgia at home and ranked Arkansas on the road in Fayetteville. With matchups against the Aggies and Crimson Tide remaining, Ole Miss must secure a few wins to truly secure an NCAA Tournament bid. A bigger focus could be on the SEC Tournament, where they currently sit ninth out of 16 teams. The top eight seeds earn a bye, while the four highest-seeded teams receive a double bye into the quarterfinals. Still plenty to play for in the Magnolia State this week.
Ole Miss and Texas A&M have five common opponents, all from the conference gauntlet. The Rebels went 7-9 against Texas, Mississippi State, Florida, LSU and Georgia, while the Aggies compiled an 8-3 record with three games still remaining against the cowbell-ringing Bulldogs.
Both programs will meet for the 42nd, 43rd, and 44th times this weekend, with the Aggies having won just two series at Swayze Field (2013, 2022). Two years ago, the Maroon and White avoided a sweep, salvaging the finale. That 2022 series is more memorable as the Aggies claimed the outright SEC West Division crown in Oxford on the final day of the regular season, a campaign that eventually ended at the College World Series in Omaha, Neb.
That end destination is still in reach for Texas A&M, needing to take care of business first in the final two conference weekends. Getting that double bye feels extremely important and would truly solidify hosting a regional in June inside Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park.
While the first two games are on SEC Network+, the series finale will provide another chance for national attention, playing under the lights in Oxford, Miss., on SEC Network at 5:00 p.m. CT.
Probable Starters:
- Friday: LHP Ethan Darden (4-0, 2.88 ERA) vs. LHP Hunter Elliott (4-2, 5.49 ERA)
- Saturday: RHP Aiden Sims (8-1, 3.60 ERA) vs. RHP Cade Townsend (5-1, 2.42 ERA)
- Sunday: TBA vs. RHP Taylor Rabe (3-3, 4.17 ERA)
Game Info (weather permitting):
- Friday: 6:30 p.m. on SEC Network+
- Saturday: 4:00 p.m. on SEC Network+
- Sunday: 5:00 p.m. on SEC Network
