Once again, the offense paced No. 20 Texas A&M (25-6, 7-5 SEC) this weekend, as they used a doubleheader sweep to win their second straight conference series. Vanderbilt (19-14, 6-6) was this weekend’s victim that fell to the Maroon and White in Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park. Taking two of three in the SEC is always a strong showing, especially at home. The Aggies accomplished that unconventionally, thanks to the weather-forced doubleheader, but have now won six of their last seven conference tilts.
GAME 1: Vanderbilt 14, #20 A&M 8
The Commodores (19-12, 6-4) picked up 18 hits, including five homers, to take the series opener 14-8 over No. 20 Texas A&M on Thursday at Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park in College Station, Texas. Vanderbilt’s Colin Barczi stole the show with his second three-homer game of the season, as both squads combined to hit 10 home runs.
Visiting Vanderbilt wasted no time with solo shots in the first inning to take an early 2-0. Barczi collected his first of the evening on the game’s fourth pitch. It took the Aggies (23-6, 5-5) until the second inning to score, using a Jorian Wilson solo shot.
Another solo shot, combined with a throwing error and sacrifice fly, scored three more runs for the visitors, extending their lead to 5-1. Caden Sorrell immediately countered with a solo blast of his own to cut into the lead.
Barczi added his second homer of the night in the fourth to update the score to 6-2. After a scoreless top of five, Texas A&M narrowed the margin significantly. Bear Harrison left the yard, followed by Sorrell’s second round tripper of the night, a two-run shot, to make it 6-5.
The sixth inning was full of scoring, with both squads trading three-run frames. Barczi deposited his third longball of the game in the top half, a two-run blast, and a bases-loaded walk brought home another Commodore run. In the bottom half, Blake Binderup and Wilson each reached safely, on a hit-by-pitch and single, respectively. Harrison cashed in, becoming the third player in the ballgame to record a multi-homer ledger. The catcher launched his three-run blast off the scoreboard to make the score 9-8 with the final third of the game to go.
Both bullpens posted zeros into the eighth. After a sacrifice bunt and groundout, A&M appeared close to avoiding trouble with runners on second and third. Down 9-8, the Aggies intentionally walked Ryker Waite, who was 0-for-4 on the night prior to the free pass. The decision immediately backfired as a first-pitch two-run single tallied an 11-8 score in favor of the Commodores.
Vanderbilt pitching retired the final six Aggies they faced, while their offense tallied three insurance runs in the ninth to complete the series-opening win.
GAME 2: #20 A&M 8, Vanderbilt 4
Three early Aggie runs set the tone, as Texas A&M took the opener of Friday’s doubleheader 8-4 over Vanderbilt (19-13, 6-5) in Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park in College Station, Texas. The Aggies (24-6, 6-5) scored a lone run in each of the final five frames, never relinquishing the lead.
Two wild pitches scored Gavin Grahovac, who led off the Aggie first inning with a single. After Jake Duer walked, Nico Partida continued his recent production with a two-run blast to give A&M a 3-0 following the opening frame.
Back-to-back solo shots got Vanderbilt on the board in the third, cutting the lead to 3-2. With two outs in the fourth, A&M tallied one on a throwing error and answered back at 4-2.
A third solo shot got the Commodores back within one and forced Weston Moss to exit. The starter was good enough on Friday, tossing 4.1 innings with four strikeouts. He gave way to Gavin Lyons, who was solid. The sophomore allowed a single run (a solo shot) across his 3.2 innings of relief and earned the win. The Aggies used seven different pitchers on Thursday, so Lyons’ outing was much needed to provide some length to the ‘pen during the doubleheader.
Jorian Wilson added an RBI single in the fifth, prior to more home run action. Vanderbilt’s Mike Mancini tallied a multi-homer day with his second solo shot in the sixth, while Grahovac countered with a lone bomb of his own.
Bear Harrison singled in a run in the seventh, while the Aggies stole a run thanks to a perfectly timed delayed steal of home by Caden Sorrell in the eighth. Clayton Freshcorn entered for the ninth, notched two punchouts and completed the win.
GAME 3: #20 A&M 12, Vanderbilt 0 (Final/7 inn.)
Four homers and an Aidan Sims complete game shutout fueled #22 Texas A&M to a Friday doubleheader sweep and an SEC series win over Vanderbilt at Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park in College Station, Texas. For the third straight conference series, the Aggies (25-6, 7-5) run-ruled their opponent in the series finale.
Chris Hacopian had the honor of getting things going for A&M with a towering two-run moonshot in the first. Bear Harrison followed one inning later with a two-run blast of his own and doubled the lead to 4-0.
In the third, Jake Duer singled, and Nico Partida walked to start the frame. Enter Blake Binderup. The redshirt junior and College Station native delivered the big blow, a titanic three-run shot to left to give Texas A&M a 7-0 advantage. Partida provided the damage in the fourth, with a two-run homer of his own to push the Aggie lead to 9-0.
While the Aggie offense was at work, Sims refused to be just a footnote in the ballgame. The sophomore from Forney, Texas, shined across the contest. Through four, Sims allowed just two baserunners to reach and struck out four.
Vanderbilt (19-14, 6-6) had their best chance in the fifth. A pair of two-out hits put runners on second and third. Sims didn’t waver, as he got a groundout to end the threat.
The necessary run support to force a shortened, run-rule game came in the sixth. Caden Sorrell came through with the bases loaded, scoring two with his single to right. Hacopian collected his third RBI of the game with a double inside the left field line for a 12-0 lead.
Entering the seventh, Sims sat at 93 pitches. The righty toed the rubber in the final frame and got the first two Commodores to strike out. After a six-pitch walk and on his 117th pitch, Sims got his eighth punchout of the game to seal the shutout and huge series victory for the Aggies. The sophomore starter picked up his sixth win of the season and has earned victories in three consecutive starts.
Texas A&M continues their season with some in-state competition. A road midweek matchup against Texas State (21-10, 8-4 Sun Belt) in San Marcos is scheduled for Tuesday, Apr. 7, as the Aggies search for their second win over the Bobcats this season. Then, it’s the all-important, high-stakes conference showdown against archrival Texas (26-5, 9-3) in Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park.
