A Nail‑Biter at Olsen Field
No. 10 Texas A&M and No. 13 Mississippi State entered a tightly contested matchup at Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park, a venue that welcomed a crowd of 6,600 fans eager to see the final SEC series of the season.
The Aggies drew first blood in the third inning when Jake Duer drove in a run, giving Texas A&M a 1‑0 edge. Mississippi State answered in the fourth with an RBI groundout that tied the game at 1‑1.
Texas A&M surged ahead in the bottom of the fourth, plating three runs highlighted by Caden Sorrell’s timely hit and Chris Hacopian’s RBI single, establishing a 3‑1 lead.
The Bulldogs fought back in the fifth, launching back‑to‑back homers to seize a 4‑3 advantage, only for the Aggies to knot the score again in the sixth with a sacrifice fly by Ben Royo and a timely single from Boston Kellner.
Mississippi State reclaimed the lead in the eighth with a two‑run homer, but the Aggies answered immediately. Bear Harrison’s go‑ahead single in the bottom of the eighth put Texas A&M up 7‑6, a margin they would hold.
On the mound, Ethan Darden delivered a season‑high 3.1 innings, allowing just one run on four hits, while Cooper Powell struck out a career‑high three batters in 2.0 innings of relief. Clayton Freshcorn closed out the final two frames, earning his third win of the season.
The offensive showcase was equally impressive. Bear Harrison finished with two hits, two RBIs and a double, while Chris Hacopian contributed two hits and a run. Caden Sorrell’s nine RBIs over the weekend marked the most in his career across a three‑game conference series.
The victory also extended Texas A&M’s all‑time series lead over Mississippi State to 29‑24, underscoring the Aggies’ resilience and depth as they head into the next phase of the season.