Aggies drop two of three in Oxford

The No. 9 Texas A&M dropped a road series at No. 20 Ole Miss, losing a pair of close games while blowing the doors off the Rebels 18-5 in the first game of a Saturday doubleheader.

Ole Miss won Friday night’s game 5-3 in a game where the Aggies fell behind quickly and could never catch up. New Friday starter Ethan Darden gave up a run in each of the two innings he worked before giving way to former Friday starter Shane Sdao. Sdao had one his better outings of the season, giving up two runs in 4 2/3 innings while striking out five. Injury was added to insult in the top of the seventh when freshman shortstop Boston Kellner was hit in the face with a 94 mph fastball.

With Kellner on the shelf for an undetermined period of time, senior Ben Royo stepped into the lineup for Saturday’s doubleheader. The first game was scoreless until the top of the third, when first baseman Blake Binderup hit his seventh homer for the season. Royo followed with a solo shot of his own — his first hit of 2026 — three pitches later, then Chris Hacopian hit a three-run homer later in the inning to give the Aggies a 5-0 lead.

Ole Miss scored three runs of their own against Aiden Sims, who was lifted after the third inning. The Aggies added another four runs in the fourth, starting with Royo hitting his second home run of the game, this one of the two-run variety. Three batters later, centerfielder Caden Sorrell parked his 22nd homer of the year, also a two-run shot, to make the score 9-3.

In the sixth, catcher Bear Harrison hit a two-run shot, and Hacopian added a solo shot in the in the top of the seventh. The seven home runs in the game tied a program record as the 2026 team became only the third team in program history to surpass 100 home runs hit in a season.

Some of those runs would have come in handy in the nightcap, which the Aggies dropped 6-5. A&M starter Weston Moss was tagged for five runs in three innings, but the Aggies were able to pull even in the top of the fourth after a balk brought in Sorrell and Binderup and Royo went back-to-back again, tying the score.

Coach Michael Early then turned to normal closer Clayton Freshcorn in the bottom of the fourth, and Freshcorn was dominant the rest of the way, giving up a run on two hits while striking out five. But that one run was enough to saddle him with the loss, as the Aggies failed to score again after the top of the fourth.

Kellner’s injury likely ends his regular season

Even though A&M never officially updated Kellner’s status, SEC Network said Saturday he suffered a broken orbital bone when he was beaned Friday night. The best case scenario for an injury like that is a return in two weeks, though it would be more likely it would take longer than that. After going seven for seven in the doubleheader, Royo will likely remain in the lineup at shortstop for the time being.

Softball clinches national seed, will host regional

Even with their rapid departure from the SEC Tournament last weekend, the No. 15 Texas A&M softball team picked up a national seed Sunday when the NCAA Tournament bracket was released. The College Station Regional, which will start Friday at 1 p.m., will include the Aggies (36-17), Big East Champions UConn (31-26), Big 12 Tournament Champions Arizona State (41-16) and Southland Tournament Champions McNeese (40-20).

With the 15th overall seed, the softball team is set up for a super regional rematch against second-seeded Texas if both teams win their respective regionals.