News release from Texas A&M Athletics:
BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION – Left-hander Justin Lamkin struck out a career-high 12 batters and the No. 7 Texas A&M baseball team claimed its first SEC series of the 2024 campaign defeating No. 21 Mississippi State (17-8, 3-3), 6-1, in the rubber match Saturday afternoon from Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park.
Lamkin was brilliant on the afternoon for the Aggies (21-3, 3-3), allowing one run on two hits over 7.1 innings of work. The sophomore carried a no-hitter in to the fifth and seven of his 12 strikeouts were looking on the day. With the win, Lamkin improved to 2-0 on the year.
Braden Montgomery led the offensive attack for the Maroon & White as the junior went 2-for-3 with a pair of homers, a walk and three RBI. The multi-homer performance marked the first of Montgomery’s career as an Aggie. Caden Sorrell (2-for-3), Jace LaViolette (2-for-4) and Jackson Appel (2-for-4) also registered multi-hit performances for Texas A&M in the win.
Montgomery opened the scoring in the bottom half of the first as the junior belted his 11th home run of the season off the scoreboard in left. The solo shot traveled 402 feet and left the bat at 109 mph.
Following a LaViolette double in the fourth, Montgomery struck again as the Madison, Mississippi, native pushed the lead to 3-0 with a two-run homer over the wall in right. The long ball traveled 398 feet and tied the junior with LaViolette for the team lead with 12 homers on the year.
In the fifth, Sorrell lifted a solo blast into Section 12 in left to stretch the Texas A&M lead to 4-0. The homer marked the second of the year for the freshman.
The Aggies added to their lead, 6-0, in the sixth and seventh courtesy of an RBI sac fly from Hayden Schott and an RBI single from Gavin Grahovac.
Following a leadoff single and a walk, the Bulldogs broke through on the scoreboard in the eighth with an RBI single to left center to make the final 6-1.
Inside the Box Score
Texas A&M racked up nine hits in the win.
Four different Aggies recorded a multi-hit performance.
Montgomery and Sorrell each scored a game-best two times.
Montgomery drew the lone walk on the afternoon for the Maroon & White.
LaViolette finished the afternoon 2-for-4 with a season-best two doubles.
Lamkin and Evan Aschenbeck combined for 14 strikeouts on the day.
Aschenbeck did not allow a run in 1.2 innings of work in the win.
Notes
With the win, the Aggies are now 26-22 all-time against the Bulldogs.
Lamkin’s start was the longest by a Texas A&M pitcher this season.
The sophomore retired 21 of the first 22 batters he faced.
Seven of Lamkin’s 12 strikeouts were looking.
Grahovac pushed his hitting streak to nine games and has reached base safely in 13 straight.
Ali Camarillo extended his on-base streak to 10 consecutive contests in the win.
Montgomery’s multi-hit performance was his team-leading 11th of the year.
The junior also logged his team-leading 12th multi-RBI game of the season.
Up Next
The Aggies continue their eight-game homestand with a midweek contest against Houston Christian Tuesday, March 26 at 6 p.m. from Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park.
Quotes
Postgame interviews are available on https://12thman.com/watch.