Aggies Tame No. 5 Tigers to Advance to SEC Tournament Semifinals

HOOVER, Ala. – Hunter Haas delivered the go-ahead, three-run home run in the seventh inning, and Texas A&M held off a late LSU charge as the Aggies beat the No. 5 Tigers, 5-4, in Friday’s SEC Tournament quarterfinal game at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium.

The Aggies trailed 3-1 at the seventh inning stretch. Ryan Targac drew a six-pitch walk and Austin Bost gapped a double to left-center to put two runners in scoring position to start the home half of the frame. Brett Minnich knocked in Targac with a sacrifice fly. Max Kaufer worked a seven-pitch walk to flip the lineup over. Hunter Haas followed with a blast over the leftfield wall on an 0-1 offering handing the Maroon & White their first lead of the game, 5-3.

LSU (43-15) made it a nail-biter with its last at-bat. With one out and A&M stalwart Evan Aschenbeck on the mound, Hayden Travinski reached on an infield single and Cade Beloso threaded a double down the rightfield line to bring the winning run to the plate. Aschenbeck uncorked a wild pitch, allowing Travinski to score while pinch-runner Josh Stevenson represented the tying run at third. Jared Jones drew a walk to put runners on the corners. Aschenbeck regrouped, fanning Gavin Dugas and getting Brayden Jobert to foul out to third base for the game-ender.

The teams traded a run in the second inning. Jobert knocked in a run in the top of the frame for LSU. Jordan Thompson and Targac got the home half started with back-to-back doubles.

LSU reclaimed the lead with an RBI double Jobert in the fourth and tacked on an insurance run with a Travinski double in the fifth.

Will Johnston kept the Aggies in the fight with a strong effort against LSU’s big bats. The southpaw starter yielded three runs on eight hits and three walks while striking out seven in 6.0 innings. Aschenbeck (8-1) earned the win in relief, allowing one run on four hits and one walk while striking out four in 3.0 innings.

LSU outhit the Aggies, 12-7, but Texas A&M pitchers stranded 12 Tigers with the Bayou Bengals batting 3-for-20 with runners in scoring position.

It marks Texas A&M’s fifth trip to the semifinal round of the SEC Tournament.

TOP AGGIE PERFORMERS

Hunter Haas – 1-for-4, 1 HR, 3 RBI

Will Johnston – 6.0 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 7 K

Evan Aschenbeck – 3.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K; (W, 8-1)

Jordan Thompson – 1-for-2, 1 2B, 1 SB, 1 BB, 1 R

Ryan Targac – 1-for-2, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 R

UP NEXT

The Aggies play an SEC Tournament semifinal game against the Arkansas Razorbacks slated for noon Saturday at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium.

GAME SUMMARY

T2 | LSU 1, A&M 0

Cade Beloso poked a leadoff single to right-center and Jared Jones drew a four-pitch walk. The Aggies doubled Jones off at second base on a flyout by Gavin Dugas, but Brayden Jobert plated Beloso with a single to rightfield.

B2 | LSU 1, A&M 1

Jordan Thompson started the frame with a ground-rule double to leftfield and Ryan Targac plated him with a double to rightfield.

T4 | LSU 2, A&M 1

Dugas hit a leadoff double to leftfield and Jobert followed with a double down the leftfield line.

T5 | LSU 3, A&M 1

Tre’ Morgan drew a six-pitch walk to start the inning and Hayden Travinski knocked him in with a double to leftfield.

B7 | LSU 3, A&M 5

Targac was issued a base on balls and Austin Bost gapped a double to left-center to give the Aggies two in scoring position with no outs. Brett Minnich pushed Targac across with a sacrifice fly to leftfield. After Max Kaufer worked a seven-pitch walk, Hunter Haas clobbered an 0-1 offering over the leftfield fence for a three-run dinger.

T9 | LSU 4, A&M 5

With one out, Travinski reached on an infield single and Beloso doubled down the rightfield line to put two runners in scoring position. Travinski scored on a wild pitch while pinch-runner Josh Stevenson represented the tying run at third base. Jones walked to put runners on the corners before Evan Aschenbeck fanned Dugas and Jobert fouled out to third base to end the game.