Clock runs out in Texas A&M's 10-5 rubber-match loss to Kentucky

Game #27: Kentucky 10, Texas A&M 5 (8 innings)
Records: Texas A&M (13-14, 1-8), Kentucky (17-9, 4-5)
WP: Ben Cleaver (3-1)
LP: Myles Patton (2-3)
Box Score

Texas A&M's pitching went stale, and Nick Mingione stalled.

Sunday's result? An excruciating 10-5 travel-curfew-shortened loss to Kentucky in eight innings at Blue Bell Park that began at 1:02 p.m. CT.

"I was made aware yesterday before the game and just got an email from the SEC saying 4:30, no new inning," A&M head coach Michael Earley said. "They didn't say anything about moving the game up. I'm not going to comment on the last part."

The need for a cutoff was to ensure Kentucky could make its commercial flight back to the Blue Grass State.

By “the last part,” Earley means Mingione’s time-wasting maneuvers, which seemed blatant in nature.

Leading 10-5 and time on his side, the Kentucky skipper attempted to run out the clock with a series of curiously-timed pitching changes, mound visits and even what appeared to be a faux argument with home plate umpire Eddie Newsom.

Mingione was successful.

The deadline came with two outs in the bottom of the eighth and Ben Royo facing a 1-0 count. After a walk, Blake Binderup flew out to deep center and allowed the Wildcats to head for the airport.

"It's like even embarrassing to even talk about, but I told Royo if (Kaeden) Kent got out to strike out on purpose," Earley said. "You can play cleaner baseball. You should be able to play that game, but that just wasn't the case."

Antics aside, running out of time isn't the reason A&M lost.

A third straight poor pitching performance served as a wet blanket to the Aggies' flickering postseason hopes.

On Sunday, it was Myles Patton's turn to get hit around.

"They just got hits," Earley said. "I'm not going to say anything to a pitcher about giving up hits. Throwing strikes, giving up hits. That's just part of the game. The worst thing you can do is try to scare a pitcher out of the strike zone."

Much like Ryan Prager and Justin Lamkin, Patton was ineffective despite working into the fifth inning.

Kentucky tagged the southpaw for seven runs on eight hits. Two were inherited runners that scored on another stale Clayton Freshcorn relief appearance during a four-run fifth.

That ill-fated frame saw Aggie pitching hit three Wildcats and walk another.

"For a team, they clearly have over 70 (hit-by pitches) on the year," Earley said. "We haven't really hit anyone all year, so it's either an anomaly or a coincidence, or you're playing a team that knows how to do it, but that was the big thing on the mound. Too many free passes."

The fifth was part of the seven unanswered runs that staked the Wildcats to an 8-2 edge.

In fact, Caden Sorrell's RBI single and Bear Harrison's sacrifice fly gave A&M a short-lived 2-1 lead after one, but Kentucky pitching took over.

Kentucky left-handed starter Ben Cleaver tossed 5.2 innings, allowing just two runs on three hits.

A scoreless 2.2-inning outing by Kaiden Wilson allowed A&M to claw closer. Terrence Kiel II's two-run triple and Wyatt Henseler's RBI single in the seventh trimmed the deficit to 8-5.

Yet, Kentucky tagged Luke Jackson for two before the clock struck 4:30 and ensured no ninth would be played.

Zoe Kelton, TexAgs

Jace LaViolette’s two walks moved his career total to 140, which ties Brian Thomas for Texas A&M’s program record.

"I just think we need to keep trusting ourselves," Wilson said. "We didn't really do great, but I know what we're capable of, so we need to flush this one and get on to the next one."

The only reason A&M isn't in the SEC's cellar is because Mizzou is 0-9 in conference play. At 1-8, A&M's RPI has ballooned to No. 108.

Trips to Knoxville, Fayetteville and Austin await next month.

But that's what lies ahead. What happened this weekend was seemingly back-breaking for the Maroon & White.

Sure, A&M will play out the rest of the year. There are 27 regular-season games remaining, plus one guaranteed SEC Tournament contest.

At 2025's midpoint, their postseason dreams are on life support, and the Aggies will likely be forced to watch them flatline through April and May.

"We're upset," Earley said. "Every game we lose is devastating to me. It's devastating more to the players and everyone that's a part of the organization. We're going to keep pushing.

"Progress is great, right? But you either win or you lose, and losing is not the standard. Even though I feel like we're getting better — you can see we're getting better — 'better' is not good enough if you're not winning."

So go ahead — book that June vacation.

The beach or the mountains, it doesn't matter — just not Omaha.

And be sure to catch your flight, just as Kentucky did.