Ben Rikard | Associate Director, Athletics Communications – 12thman.com
HOOVER, Ala. – The Texas A&M Aggies were edged out by No. 8 Vanderbilt’s last surge in Sunday’s SEC Tournament championship game at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium, 10-4.
The contest was tied 4-4 before the Commodores scored on a squeeze bunt by Enrique Bradfield in the home half of the sixth. Vanderbilt added five insurance runs in the eighth.
Max Kaufer kept the Aggies in the contest with a career-high three RBI. His RBI grounder put the Aggies ahead in the top of the second and he tied the game with a two-run single in the sixth.
Playing a game for the sixth consecutive day and the ninth time in 11 days, the Aggies sent a potpourri of pitchers to the mound. Starter Nathan Dettmer (1-4) was saddled with the loss, surrendering four runs on seven hits while striking out one in 2.2 innings. Ty Sexton and Troy Wansing highlighted the seven pitchers out of the bullpen. Sexton worked 1.1 blank frames while Troy Wansing chipped in with 1.0 shutout inning.
Wansing pitched three times in the tournament, registering a win and a save. He surrendered just two hits while striking out 10 in 9.2 scoreless innings.
Everybody in the Aggie lineup registered a hit, but only Brett Minnich was able to scratch out multiple hits, going 2-for-3 with one walk and a run.
The Aggies had three players named to the SEC All-Tournament Team, including pitchers Justin Lamkin and Troy Wansing and first baseman Jack Moss.
It marked Texas A&M’s second trip to the SEC Tournament championship game, winning the crown in 2016.
TOP AGGIE PERFORMERS
Max Kaufer – 1-for-3, 3 RBI
Ty Sexton – 1.1 IP, 1 H 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
Troy Wansing – 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
Brett Minnich – 2-for-3, 1 R, 1 BB
UP NEXT
The Aggies await an at-large bid to an NCAA Regional. The NCAA Tournament Selection Show airs Monday at 11 a.m. on ESPN2.
GAME SUMMARY
T2 | A&M 1, VU 0
Ryan Targac gapped a leadoff double to right-center. Brett Minnich drove a one-out single to rightfield to put runners on the corners and Max Kaufer plated Targac with a grounder back to the mound.
B2 | A&M 1, VU 3
With one out, Chris Maldonado singled to left-center and R.J. Austin singled to rightfield to put runners on the corners. Troy LaNeve gave Vanderbilt knocked a 2-2 pitch over the rightfield fence for a three-run home run.
B3 | A&M 1, VU 4
Parker Noland slapped a two-out single to rightfield and Maldonado followed with a single up the middle. Austin pushed Noland across with a single to centerfield.
T4 | A&M 2, VU 4
Jordan Thompson slapped a leadoff single to leftfield and used three wild pitches to cross home plate.
T6 | A&M 4, VU 4
The Aggies mounted a two-out rally with Austin Bost punching a single to leftfield and Brett Minnich depositing a single down the rightfield line. A wild pitch put both runners in scoring position and Kaufer roped a single to leftfield to plate a pair.
B6 | A&M 4, VU 5
LaNeve and Alan Espinal singled up the middle to put runners on the corners with no outs. Enrique Bradfield pushed LaNeve across with a sacrifice bunt.
B8 | A&M 4, VU 10
With one out, Bradfield legged out a double to left-center and Davis Diaz drew a walk. K.J. Schreck moved both runners into scoring position with a grounder back to the mound. Bradfield scored on a wild pitch. Noland knocked Diaz with a single to right-center. A single by Maldonado and a walk by Austin loaded the bases. Calvin Hewett cleared the bases with a three-run double down the leftfield line.