Ags use two double-digit outbursts in doubleheader double-dip of Tide

Game #38: No. 1 Texas A&M 10, No. 18 Alabama 5
Records: Texas A&M (34-4, 12-4), Alabama (24-14, 6-10)
WP: Chris Cortez (6-1)
LP: Tyler Fay (1-2)
Save: Shane Sdao (2)
Box Score

Game #39: No. 1 Texas A&M 18, No. 18 Alabama 9
Records: Texas A&M (35-4, 13-4), Alabama (24-15, 6-11)
WP: Brock Peery (2-0)
LP: Ben Hess (3-4)
Box Score

The Aggies came in and rolled the Tide out.

Out of the yard, to be exact.

In a Friday twin bill in Tuscaloosa, top-ranked Texas A&M took both ends from No. 18 Alabama, winning the opener 10-5 before claiming the nightcap, 18-9.

Across 18 frames, the Maroon & White jumped Sewell-Thomas Stadium a total of eight times as they continued their torrid and potentially record-setting pace.

A&M plated 28 runs on 29 hits.

In the second game alone, the Aggies were a ridiculous 8-for-11 with men in scoring position.

All of this after a weekend that saw them batter Vanderbilt in a three-game sweep, 36-6.

Among the Aggies leaving "The Joe" on Friday was Caden Sorrell (twice), Braden Montgomery (once in each contest), Jackson Appel, Hayden Schott, Gavin Grahovac and Jace LaViolette.

Will Huffman, TexAgs

Taking both ends of Friday’s doubleheader, No. 1 Texas A&M has now secured five straight SEC series wins.

The first A&M longball — a Sorrell grand slam — erased an early 5-0 lead in Game 1 as the Ags ripped off a jaw-dropping string of 18 unanswered runs, culminating with an eight-run second in Game 2.

Their eighth bomb — a ninth-inning two-run rocket to conclude Friday's scoring — saw LaViolette become the seventh Aggie to reach the 40-home run plateau.

A&M split the home runs evenly across both wins. The separate power surges covered up two abbreviated starts from Ryan Prager and Tanner Jones.

The former recorded just nine outs and allowed four runs on seven hits.

The latter lasted 4.1 innings but surrendered six.

In the opener, relievers Chris Cortez and Shane Sdao turned the Tide as a six-run fifth put A&M ahead for good.

An inning later, Montgomery and Appel went back-to-back. In the seventh, Sorrell hit his second bomb.

All the while, Sdao picked up an 11-out save and fanned five.

Despite an hour-break between games, the ‘Bama blitzing began early.

Leading 8-0, Jones coughed up a second-inning grand slam to Mac Guscette.

But A&M's lead never dipped below four and peaked at a nine-run chasm on three different occasions.

Kelii Horvath, TexAgs

Across both games, Jace LaViolette finished Friday 4-for-10 with four RBIs and two walks.

Trailing 13-4 in the fifth, the Tide plated three.

Chasing 16-7 in the eighth, they pushed across two against All-American candidate Evan Aschenbeck.

At times during the second ballgame, Alabama was a pest.

Every time, A&M flexed.

Those lead-extending trots came with Grahovac's two-run shot in the fifth, Montgomery's three-run jack in the seven and LaViolette's two-run missle in the ninth.

Yet, Friday is far from an isolated slugging explosion.

In 39 games, the Aggies have homered 85 times. Montgomery leads the club with 22. LaViolette follows closely with 19.

That 2.19 home run per game average has them on track to eventually surpass the vaunted 1999 club.

Now winners of seven straight (including five SEC wins) and victors in 15 of 16, A&M's current win percentage sits at .897.

Compare that to the historic 58-7 1989 squad's .892 clip.

While debates surrounding where the 2024 team falls among the best A&M teams ever are likely beginning, Friday served as yet another reminder of their dominance and perhaps validation of their lofty ranking.

As their story continues to unfold, it is becoming increasingly hard for Jim Schlossnagle & Co. to hide from the rare air they've entered.

It's perhaps even rarer than finding a polar bear roaming around College Station.

Regardless, they'll search for a second straight SEC sweep on Saturday at 12 p.m. CT, weather permitting.