Game Rundown: Chris Hacopian makes brief return in Texas A&M’s win over Virginia Tech

ARLINGTON, Texas (KBTX) - There is a reason Texas A&M baseball head coach Michael Earley and his staff have been careful about easing transfer slugger Chris Hacopian back into the lineup as he recovers from a nagging back injury.

On Friday, the Aggies’ 10-0, seven-inning victory over Virginia Tech at Globe Life Field was a prime example of that dilemma.

“It’s always day-to-day with that guy,” Earley said after the win. “He’s really tough. We also want to be smart.”

Hacopian made his first appearance in the Aggies’ starting lineup Friday after he was sidelined for the third game of A&M’s opening series against Tennessee Tech. He’s remained on the bench over A&M’s last six games, with Earley cautious about bringing him back into action too soon and risking a longer absence.

But the Maryland transfer has already proven his value to A&M (9-0) at the plate. In the Aggies’ first two games, he went 4-for-9 at the plate with four RBIs.

At first, Friday seemed to be the perfect scripted return, taking over as designated hitter.

On a 0-1 pitch in his first at-bat of the game, Hacopian blasted a pitch 424 feet into left-center for what would ultimately be the game-winning run.

“Emotions were high,” Aggie starting pitcher Shane Sdao said of the home run. “He came in the dugout, I was screaming, we were giving high fives everywhere. It’s an amazing thing to see a player come back.”

However, in his second at-bat of the game, Hacopian fouled off a 0-1 pitch and appeared to wince as he walked into the opposite batter’s box. He took a few moments to stretch out his back, bending over for a few seconds, before re-entering the batter’s box. Hacopian finished the final three pitches of the at-bat, but was lifted from the game by Earley as a precaution.

“Obviously, we played him because we thought he was good. He hit the homer. He just kind of tightened up a little bit. There’s going to be a little bit of that, man. We’re going to have a little back and forth getting him back. We’ll see how tomorrow looks.”

College Station native Blake Binderup took over in Hacopian’s stead and provided a spark that led to the eventual run-rule victory over the Hokies (7-2). Binderup led off the inning with a full-count walk and was the first run of an eight-run inning, scoring on a sacrifice fly by Terrence Kiel II. He came to the plate again in the inning and doubled to left field, driving in Gavin Grahovac and Caden Sorrell.

“[Hacopian] is a difference-maker, but, you know what? That’s why it’s a team game and you’ve got to stay ready, because Blake Binderup came in there — awesome walk. Kind of broke that momentum and then awesome hit by him, too.”

Here’s the game rundown:

Why did A&M win? A&M starter Shane Sdao posted a six-inning gem, though he did not have his best stuff on the professional mound of Globe Life Field.

He earned his second win of the season by allowing no runs on four hits. He walked one and struck out five in his third appearance back after missing all of last season due to injury.

“I really liked the way I competed on the mound. I enjoyed being up there on the big-league mound. I mean, who wouldn’t be? But, something I disliked about this was … I felt pretty bland out there. Felt like I didn’t have my greatest stuff.”

Sdao’s shutout was not without traffic on the base paths. He ended the top of the first with a strikeout, stranding a runner on third. Then, in the fourth, he stranded another runner on third by fanning Hokie left fielder Sam Gates.

“Filled up the zone. Mixed in a lot of pitches. Kept guys off-balance,” Earley said of Sdao. “I think he threw probably six or seven different pitches. Able to mix them in. Man, it’s tough as a hitter, right, if you can mix looks and never be predictable.”

Offensively, A&M’s bats came alive in the eight-run bottom of the sixth.

Who stood out? Beyond Binderup, center fielder Caden Sorrell and Terrence Kiel II recorded two RBIs each in the game. Jake Duer went 2-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI. Every Aggie who played Friday scored a run, save for Kiel and catcher Bear Harrison.

What was a key stat? The Aggies went 6-for-11 with two outs and had seven RBIs with two outs.

What’s next? A&M faces its toughest challenge yet in No. 2 UCLA (7-2) Saturday at 7 p.m. in Globe Life Field, the home of the Texas Rangers. The Bruins’ lineup features the projected No. 1 pick of the 2026 MLB Draft in shortstop Roch Cholowsky. The Aggies will start Weston Moss (1-0, 3.27 ERA), opposite UCLA right-hander Michael Barnett (2-0, 1.80 ERA).

“They’re really, really good and we’ve just got to go out there and compete and play clean baseball, because, the thing about their team is they just keep coming,” Earley said. “If you watch them, they keep coming, they limit their mistakes and they’re good.”