Aggies Run-Rule Arkansas, End Regular Season on Somber Note
COLLEGE STATION, Texas — No. 5 Texas A&M flexed its offensive prowess in the series finale against No. 3 Arkansas, winning 14-4 in seven innings by run rule to cap off the regular season for both teams.
"Don’t like losing at all but we won the West," coach Dave Van Horn said. "I don’t know. Sometimes, you’ve got to lose a game to win a game."
The Razorbacks hung tough early as the first nine runs of the game came home to score on a homer with the ball carrying on a hot afternoon at Blue Bell Park, but the Razorbacks bullpen would be the one to cave in the middle innings.
In a six-run sixth, the Aggies turned a 5-4 game into an 11-4 blowout. The first five hitters reached base against the Hogs pitching staff. Unforced errors by the Hogs gave the Aggies initial insurance as two runs came around to score on separate wild pitches. Ted Burton then hit a three-run double to into the right-centerfield gap to put the game out of reach. Texas A&M sent nine batters to the plate in the inning.
After walking in the winning run Thursday, starter Will McEntire walked the leadoff hitter Gavin Grahovac on five pitches much to the delight of the Aggie crowd. Jace LaViolette hit his team-leading 28th homer for Texas A&M. For the second straight day, the Aggies had a 2-0 lead in the first.
After being the hero last night with a division-clinching, go-ahead, three-run homer last night, Hudson White left the ballpark again with a solo shot to left field. He has now hit five homers in his last eight games and cut the lead in half,
Huddy is SCORCHING 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ylQL6Te33P
— Arkansas Baseball (@RazorbackBSB) May 18, 2024
The Aggies responded with another two-run home run, this time from Caden Sorrell, that just snuck out into the front row to stretch the lead to 4-1.
Arkansas would not go quietly. Two singles brought the tying run to the plate. Wehiwa Aloy did what he did best, hitting his team-best13th homer of the season to tie the game 4-4.
PARDON ME WE'RE TIED pic.twitter.com/yyrmuqiJ3j
— Arkansas Baseball (@RazorbackBSB) May 18, 2024
The parity would be short lived as the Aggies reclaimed a one-run lead on Braden Montgomery's second homer in as many days. The Razorbacks were then set down for the final four innings as the Aggie bullpen pitched four scoreless innings, including retiring the last seven hitters. Arkansas, meanwhile needed three pitchers to get out of the sixth inning.
Gavin Grahovac's two-run homer, the Aggies' fourth of the day and Ryan Targac's RBI single in the seventh finished the Hogs' only run rule loss of the year.
Arkansas now enters the SEC Tournament as the No. 2 seed as the SEC West champion. A opponent has yet to be announced for the first round.
HOGS FEED:
• Arkansas Tailback Considered One Of Best Returnees In SEC
• Pitcher comes off bench for nearly six innings of perfection to save Razorbacks' bacon
• Arkansas asks Wood to step into new role to clinch division over Aggies
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DANIEL SHI