This article will update after each of Texas A&M’s game in the 2026 College Station Regional.
Hosting as the 12-seed, Texas A&M welcomed the USC Trojans, Texas State Bobcats, and Lamar Cardinals to Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park to the College Station Regional. The Aggies advanced themselves into the winner’s bracket, defeating Lamar 7-5 in their opening round matchup on Friday. Up next is a battle with the winner of Texas State/USC on Saturday night under the lights.
Friday’s Opening Round: #12 A&M
7, Lamar 5
The 12th-seeded Aggies erased a five-run deficit on Friday, defeating Lamar 7-5 in the opening round of the College Station Regional inside Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park. The hosts scored seven unanswered runs with the help of seven walks, three hit-by pitches and two homers.
A&M transfer Tab Tracy led off the contest for Lamar (34-25) and got to second base. The infielder hit a dribbler that was fielded with an error. Tracy later scored on a two out single up the middle, giving the Southland Champs the early 1-0 lead. In the bottom half, the Aggies (40-14) got runners to first and third, but a deep fly out snuffed a potential response.
Starter Shane Sdao settled in and retired seven Cardinals in a row. In the third, Lamar once again broke through with two outs, mustering three straight hits to extend their lead to 3-0.
A Caden Sorrell double and Chris Hacopian walk put runners on the corners with two outs, creating pressure for Lamar starter Chris Olivier. The Southland Pitcher of the Year responded with a punchout of Nico Partida to keep the Aggies off the board through the first trio of frames.
Lamar’s Braden Benton added to the lead on his solo shot to left center, knocking Sdao out of the 4-0 game. Two outs later, the nine hole hitter Kevin Duran left the yard off reliever Gavin Lyons to put Lamar up by five through four innings.
Gavin Grahovac ended a 13-inning scoring drought on the first pitch of the fifth, tallying his 20th longball of the year to dead center. That swing awoke the bats. Sorrell reached on a hit-by-pitch, before Hacopian unloaded on his 10th homer of the season to close the gap to 5-3.
Lyons provided quality relief, keeping the Cardinals in check and giving the Aggie offense a chance to get back in the game. The junior tossed four innings and sat down 10 of the final 11 Lamar hitters he faced.
Lamar finally went to the bullpen in the seventh following six strong innings from Olivier. That decision was a welcome sight for the Maroon and White. A walk, infield single and hit batter loaded the bases with one out, setting up an RBI from Partida on his bases-loaded walk. One batter later, Bear Harrison sent a fly ball into center, deep enough to tie the game on a sacrifice fly. Lamar exited without giving up the go-ahead score, going to the eighth all square at 5-5.
Riding momentum from a seven-pitch eighth inning performance from Clayton Freshcorn, A&M’s hitters went back to work. Ben Royo doubled inside the left field line to bring up Travis Chestnut. The speedy pinch hitter laid down a sacrifice bunt that resulted in a throwing error giving the Aggies a 6-5 lead. Two walks loaded the bases as the hosts were looking for insurance. Hacopian notched a sacrifice fly that brought Chestnut home and extended the lead to 7-5.
Freshcorn again worked efficiently, getting two quick outs in the ninth on six pitches. An error brought Duran up the plate as the tying run. Lamar’s second baseman hit a sharp grounder up the middle, but it was fielded cleanly, securing A&M’s comeback victory.
Up next for the Aggies will be Saturday’s winner’s bracket contest against Texas State or USC, scheduled for 8:00 p.m. CT on a TV network to be determined.
