Texas A&M's pitching problems persist as Ole Miss dominates, 14-7

Game #27: Ole Miss 14, Texas A&M 7
Records: Texas A&M (16-11, 2-6), Ole Miss (16-10, 1-7)
WP: Brayden Jones (1-0)
LP: Justin Lamkin (1-3)
Box Score

Saturday night spirals out of control for the Aggies.

Despite jumping out to an early lead, Texas A&M was defeated handily by Ole Miss at Blue Bell Park on Saturday, 14-7, as the Rebels evened the series at a game apiece.

Pitching failed the Aggies mightily in the game as they walked 11 batters. This is the third time this season that the Maroon & White has walked double-digit hitters in a game.

Freshman Justin Lamkin started the game for the Aggies, tossing three innings, allowing six runs on six hits and four walks. The bullpen did not fare much better as Ty Sexton yielded four runs through 1.2 innings, and Brandyn Garcia gave up three runs through three innings.

Eight of the Rebel runs came with two outs, and twice with the bases empty, A&M allowed three straight free passes.

“I don't even know what to say to that,” A&M head coach Jim Schlossnagle said. “The only way to coach that is to get new players. We can’t do that this year.”

For now, Schlossnagle and crew are stuck working with what they have in their pitching staff.

A&M struck first in the game after a two-run double down the leftfield line from Austin Bost.

However, in the middle innings, the tide began to change.

The Aggies led 4-2 in the fourth inning before Ole Miss rattled off five runs on four hits and two walks.

In the fourth, what appeared to be a three-run home run off the bat of Hunter Haas looked to have tied the game at 7-7, but the umpires discussed the call on the field before overturning it.

“I knew it was foul,” Haas said. “I was a little surprised he called it fair. I was just ready to hit after that because I knew I was going to get called back in.”

Although A&M got a run back in the bottom of the fourth, Ole Miss added three more in the fifth, all with two outs. The Rebels grabbed a 10-5 lead and never looked back as their pitching shut down the Aggies at the plate the rest of the way despite allowing two more runs in the last inning.

With the loss, the Aggies fell to 2-6 in conference play, having dropped four of its last five in the SEC. Ole Miss picked up its first win in SEC play, improving to 1-7 in conference.

Schlossnagle said that the starter in Sunday’s rubber match is still TBD.

“I got to talk to the coaches and see how everybody feels,” Schlossnagle said. “Obviously, we're gonna try and run the best strike throwers out there we can find.”

Sunday’s finale is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT at Blue Bell Park as the Aggies attempt to win their first conference series of the season.