An incredible run in the SEC Tournament falls one game shy of a title as No. 10 Texas A&M fell to No. 4 Vanderbilt 10-4 in the championship game. After playing six games over six days and upsetting Tennessee and LSU, the Maroon and White’s magic finally ran out Sunday afternoon.
After the Aggies struck first courtesy of a Max Kaufer RBI to allow Ryan Targac to score at the top of the second to put A&M up 1-0, a rough outing by Nathan Dettmer proved to be an unfortunate omen for the rest of the afternoon.
Troy LaNeve homered to right field for a three-run RBI off Detmer to put the Commodores up 3-1. In the fourth, RJ Austin singled to center field to score Parker Noland and increase Vanderbilt’s lead to 4-1.
Detmer finished with a 6.62 ERA for the afternoon, allowing seven hits and four runs while striking out just one batter in 2.2 IP.
The Aggies’ offense did their best in cutting the deficit, with Jordan Thompson scoring off a wild pitch in the fourth, followed by Kaufer singling to left field to score Austin Bost and Brett Minnich to tie the game 4-4.
Troy Wansing came in to limit the damage as best he could, giving up just one run off an Enrique Bradfield sac fly in the bottom of the sixth to put the Commoders up 5-4, with an SEC title still very much within reach.
But a nightmare eighth inning opened the floodgates and all but secured the Aggies’ fate on Championship Sunday.
Vanderbilt put five runs on the board in that inning, including a Calvin Hewett bases-clearing double with two outs to extend the Commodores’ lead 10-4, with A&M unable to tack on another run for the remainder of the game.
We are tied! 🫧@kaufermax's 2-strike, 2-out RBI single scores Thompson and Minnich!
Bottom 6th | 4-4
📺 ESPN2
🔗 https://t.co/gGq5JunJra pic.twitter.com/VWsT88Ewtq— Texas A&M Baseball (@AggieBaseball) May 28, 2023
.@jstew1712 puts up a 0 pic.twitter.com/CzBdGDwerJ
— Texas A&M Baseball (@AggieBaseball) May 28, 2023
Final: Vanderbilt 10, Texas A&M 4
Our attention turns to the NCAA Selection Show on Monday at 11 a.m. broadcast on ESPN2.
— Texas A&M Baseball (@AggieBaseball) May 28, 2023
With the SEC Tournament now in the rearview mirror, all eyes will be on the NCAA Selection Show on Monday, May 29, at 11 a.m. CT, which will broadcast on ESPN2.
Final Score: Aggies 4, Commodores 10 – W: Reilly, Patrick (5-3) L: Cortez, Chris (3-1)
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