News release from Texas A&M Athletics:
No. 18 Texas A&M plated nine runs off seven hits to take game one over No. 2 Texas, 9-8, in front of a rowdy crowd of 7,662 fans Friday evening from Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park.
The Aggies (26-7, 8-5) were led offensively by Gavin Grahovac who went 2-for-4 with a triple and a double.
The Longhorns (27-6, 9-4) got on the board first in the third inning behind a sacrifice fly.
Ol’ Sarge’s charges took its first lead of the contest in the bottom of the third inning, led off by a triple from Boston Kellner. A double from Gavin Grahovac sent Kellner home to even the tally, and the Aggies went in front on an RBI groundout from Caden Sorrell.
Texas answered in the top of the fourth with an RBI double to tie the game.
Nico Partida put the Maroon & White back in front with a solo home run to left field, traveling 371 feet with a 106 mile per hour exit velocity. Texas knocked a two-run home run in the fifth to reclaim the lead, 4-3.
Grahovac ripped his second triple of the season in the home half of the fifth and ventured to the plate on Sorrell’s second RBI groundout of the contest. The visitors hit another two-run home run in the top of the sixth to take a 6-4 lead.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Aggies spotted three runs after a pair of bases-loaded walks from Bear Harrison and Kellner. A deep sacrifice fly from Grahovac sent Jorian Wilson to the plate, putting the Aggies back in front. After recording a scoreless top of the seventh, the Aggies added another run to the board on a sacrifice fly from Wilson to score Duer.
Sorrell scored the last run of the night for the Aggies after an error from the Longhorns allowed him to circle home.
Shane Sdao tossed 4.0 innings as the starter, giving up four runs on five hits and striking out six batters. Ethan Darden (3-0) entered in relief and pitched 2.0 innings, earning his third win of the season and first in conference play this season. Clayton Freshcorn closed out the last 3.0 innings, matching a season-high four strikeouts and recording his seventh save of the season.
