Texas A&M looking to carry over hot start into SEC play versus Oklahoma
Heading into their conference opener against Oklahoma this weekend in Norman, Texas A&M head coach Michael Earley has his team showing strong signs of improvement. Entering the weekend with a 15–1 record, the Aggies’ lone loss came against top-ranked UCLA in Arlington, and they now look to build on that strong start after a disappointing season a year ago.
Momentum has continued to grow following another series sweep, this time over Oakland, along with a dominant midweek run-rule victory against Stephen F. Austin on Tuesday.
With confidence building and the early results trending upward, Texas A&M will look to solidify its return as a conference contender when it faces a talented Oklahoma squad on the road this weekend.
Texas A&M’s offense has been a major catalyst for its early-season success, with the team hitting .344 as a group. Outfielders Caden Sorrell and Terrence Kiel II have led the way, both batting above the .400 mark to this point in the season.
Infielder Gavin Grahovac has also begun to find his rhythm at the plate after missing most of last season. He drove in 10 runs last week alone, bringing his season total to 18, which is tied for the second-most on the team with Jake Duer, trailing only Sorrell.
The lineup could receive another significant boost this weekend with the expected return of outfielder Wesley Jordan (hamstring) and infielder Chris Hacopian (back). According to head coach Michael Earley during an interview with TexAgs Live, both players are scheduled to rejoin the lineup after dealing with injuries earlier in the season. In just 30 combined at-bats between them so far, the pair has posted a batting average of just over .460.
If both return this weekend, it would mark only the third time this season that Texas A&M has had all nine projected starters available in the same game. Even with those absences, the Aggies have still managed to field one of the most productive offenses in the country.
The biggest questions coming into the season surrounded Texas A&M‘s pitching situation. However, entering SEC play, those worries have disappeared. Entering this weekend, the Aggies’ pitching has a combined 2.95 ERA.
Shane Sdao has pitched remarkably well after missing all of last season, with just 7 earned runs scored against him in over 25 inning of work. Their Friday night starter has gotten off to a hot start this season after deciding to return to College Station despite a potential departure to the MLB Draft.
However, sophomore pitcher Aiden Sims has been the most surprising name, allowing just 4 runs in 22 innings of work. His 25 strikeouts to 5 walks and .143 batting average allowed has him at a 3-0 record as a starter, and has been shutdown on Sunday nights.
After a tough outing against UCLA in Arlington, Weston Moss has continued to rebound well. Despite his 5.21 ERA through 19 innings of work, his 21 strikeouts to just four walks has been impressive. He’ll face right-handed pitcher LJ Mercurius in Norman on Saturday in what could shape up to be his biggest outing of the season.
Relievers Juan Vargas and Clayton Freshcorn have pitched a combined 18 innings without allowing a run, and have been key players out of the bullpen for the Aggies. Josh Stewart has also bounced back well from an injury that held him out all of last season, allowing just 1 run in over 6 innings of work.
Transfer addition Ethan Darden has been another name to step up out of the bullpen, allowing just 2 runs with 7 strikeouts and a walk in 8.1 innings to this point. He’s poised to be a major contributor out of the bullpen for Texas A&M entering conference play.
Entering the weekend, Oklahoma checks in at No. 9 in the latest rankings from D1Baseball with a 15–2 record following a midweek win over UT Arlington. Despite early-season losses to Arizona State and Gonzaga, the Sooners hold an impressive top-10 victory over TCU along with another key win against Texas Tech, both of which came during a trip to Arlington.
As a team, Oklahoma enters the series hitting over .300 while also carrying a staff ERA just north of 3.00, showcasing balance on both sides of the ball. With those numbers backing them, the Sooners will look to open conference play on a strong note in Norman when they host Texas A&M this weekend.
The two teams have been nearly identical so far this season: