Texas A&M baseball shortstop Boston Kellner out vs. Ole Miss with broken orbital bone injury

Texas A&M freshman shortstop Boston Kellner suffered a broken orbital bone Friday night after getting hit in the face by a fastball from Ole Miss pitcher Hudson Calhoun, a team spokesperson confirmed to Aggie Yell. 

SEC Network+ play-by-play announcer Jake Hromada first reported the news Saturday during the first game of the series-ending doubleheader between the Aggies and the Rebels, adding Kellner didn’t suffer a concussion or serious damage to his eye. Ahead of the doubleheader, Kellner received an “out” designation on the SEC availability report Saturday. 

On the hit by pitch, which occurred with one out in the seventh inning, Kellner fell to the ground before putting a towel over his face, walking to the dugout and permanently coming out of the game. Ben Royo replaced him at shortstop and as a pinch runner. A&M lost the game, 5-3, before a Swayze Field crowd of 9,027.

Prior to the injury, Kellner started each of the first 47 games of the season for the Aggies. He slashed .248/.432/.418 while totaling five home runs, 27 RBIs, 39 walks vs. 34 strikeouts, nine hit by pitches and a stolen base.

With Kellner out, the injuries continue to mount for A&M. The Aggies remain without standout third baseman Nico Partida, who pulled his hamstring against Auburn last Saturday. That injury called for them to slide Gavin Grahovac from first base to third. Chris Hacopian, who got hit in the face by a pitch vs. LSU last month, is still limited from the leg bruise he suffered at Florida a couple weeks ago. He has since worked as their designated hitter, not his usual spot at second base.

A&M will finish its three-game series against Ole Miss with a doubleheader Saturday. The first game started at 2 p.m. The series finale will begin approximately one hour after the end of the first game of the double header. Both games will air on SEC Network+.