Texas A&M strikes out 15 times in series-opening loss at Ole Miss

Game #47: No. 20 Ole Miss 5, No. 9 Texas A&M 3
Records: Texas A&M (36-11, 15-9), Ole Miss (33-17, 13-12)
WP: Hunter Elliott (5-2)
LP: Ethan Darden (4-1)
Save: Walker Hooks (6)
Box Score

Between injuries to Nico Partida, Chris Hacopian and now Boston Kellner, Texas A&M’s offense is seemingly fighting with one arm tied behind its back.

Unfortunately for the ninth-ranked Aggies, they kept punching and punching and punching.

In total, they punched out 15 times in a 5-3 loss to No. 20 Ole Miss on Friday night as Hunter Elliott and a pair of Rebel relievers sank A&M to a third consecutive series-opening defeat.

The 15 strikeouts equal A&M’s high in a conference game this season with an April 17 win at LSU. It’s now three of four SEC contests — all losses — in which the offense has suffered double-digit punch outs.

Hindered greatly by Partida’s unavailability and Hacopian’s limitations, a different-looking lineup scratched only one earned run as Elliott struck out a career high 11 in six innings.

Hudson Calhoun fanned one in his lone frame of work, but one of his seventh-inning fastballs caught Kellner in the face, adding the freshman shortstop to A&M’s growing list of the wounded.

There is currently no update regarding Kellner’s status.

Literally adding insult to injury, the strikeout unraveled a bases-loaded threat in the eighth.

Will Huffman, TexAgs

Gavin Grahovac was one of seven Aggies to have a hit in the loss.

After Hacopian’s hobbling double, an error and a dropped pop-up with A&M trailing 5-2, Walker Hooks struck out Blake Binderup on five pitches.

An RBI fielder’s choice for Jorian Wilson trimmed the deficit to two, but pinch-hitter Wesley Jordan also failed to put the ball in play.

Only two Aggies did not strike out on the night. Gavin Grahovac was 1-for-5, and Ben Royo flew out to left to begin the ninth in his only at-bat.

It’s assuredly not the same offense, but the nine that are out there didn’t do much to help a new strategy on the mound that performed admirably.

As something of an opener, left-hander Ethan Darden struggled to find the zone early as the Rebels scored once in each of the first two innings.

A leadoff walk to Dom Decker came across on a first-inning double play. An RBI fielder’s choice by Topher Jones pushed the score to 2-0 early.

Missed opportunities plagued Ole Miss to a lesser extent as the home club failed to completely capitalize on five A&M free passes in the first three innings. Meanwhile, the Aggies didn’t take advantage of three Rebel errors, scoring an unearned run during a two-run fifth that cut a three-run hole to 3-2.

Entering in relief for the first time this season, southpaw Shane Sdao was solid, surrendering just two runs in 4.1 innings while striking out five.

However, Sdao’s night was reduced to a footnote as Gavin Lyons was tagged for a pair of run-scoring hits in the seventh before the offense stubbed its toe in the eighth.

The battered and bruised Aggies must now prepare for their fourth doubleheader of the year on Saturday.

Those who are healthy enough to play must be ready to punch back beginning at 2 p.m. CT.