Texas A&M
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Mississippi State
Series Preview: at Mississippi State
May 17, 2023 | Baseball
Week 14: at Mississippi State
- May 18-20, 2023
- Dudy-Noble Field (Starkville, Miss.)
- Game Notes • SEC Standings • App
GAME ONE
- Thursday, May 18 • 6 p.m. • SEC Network+
- Texas A&M: RHP Nathan Dettmer
- Stats: 1-3, 6.32 ERA, 57.0 IP, 53 K, 34 BB
- MSU: RHP Colby Holcombe
- Stats: 2-2, 7.71 ERA, 32.2 IP, 44 K, 35 BB
GAME TWO
- Saturday, May 19 • 6 p.m. • SEC Network+
- Texas A&M: TBA
- Stats: --
- MSU: TBA
- Stats: --
GAME THREE
- Sunday, May 20 • 2 p.m. • SEC Network+
- Texas A&M: TBA
- Stats: --
- MSU: TBA
- Stats: --
BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The Texas A&M Aggies will close out the 2023 regular season this week with three games against Mississippi State, beginning Thursday at Dudy-Noble Field.
The Aggies and Bulldogs enter the regular-season finale coming off very different weekends with the Aggies dropping the final two games of its series at home to Alabama. Meanwhile, Mississippi State had dropped eight consecutive SEC contests before winning the final two games of its series at No. 2 LSU, including erasing a 13-4 deficit on Sunday to win 14-13 in 10 innings.
Texas A&M has clinched a spot in Hoover for the SEC Tournament, but can still help its seeding with a strong weekend in Starkville.
GAME COVERAGE
TV/STREAMING: Each game of the weekend is scheduled to be on SEC Network+... Bart Gregory will have the play-by-play call and will be joined in the booth by Charlie Winfield on analysis.
RADIO: Each game can also be heard locally on SportsRadio 1150 AM/93.7 FM The Zone.... Andrew Monaco will be in the booth to bring the action from Dudy-Noble Field... the pregame show begins 15 minutes prior to first pitch.
SOCIAL: Fans can get in-game updates on social media by following @AggieBaseball on Twitter.
AGAINST THE BULLDOGS
- The Aggies are 17-20 all-time against Alabama, including 8-7 at Dudy-Noble Field
- A&M swept MSU a year ago in Bryan-College Station, only its second-ever sweep of the Bulldogs and the first since 2016 in Starkville
STACKING WEEKENDS IN THE SCHLOSS ERA
Since Jim Schlossnagle took over the Aggie program for the 2022 season the Aggies have won 13 SEC series, which is the most among SEC programs in that span. They enter the last weekend of the 2023 season tied with Tennessee and Florida with 13 series wins over the past two seasons.
BEST IN FIELD
The Aggies have committed only one error over their last seven games, upping the team's season fielding percentage to a .980 mark. That is the fourth best in the SEC and 19th overall in the nation, but what is more impressive is it puts the Ags in position to field .980 for a season for the first time in program history. Currently the highest recorded fielding percentage by an Aggie team is .977 by the 2016 squad.
ON THE RUN
The Aggies have been at their near best when they've been on the bases this season, ranking second to Kentucky in the league with 79 successful stolen bases. But what is more impressive is they've it in just 92 attempts, and the 85.8 percent success rate is the best among all SEC teams with at least 50 steals this year. The Aggies had nine stelas on May 9 vs UTRGV, the most by an Aggie team in a single game since A&M set its program record with 12 in a win over Northwestern State on February 10, 2006.
TREVOR, TREVOR, TREVOR
Aggie third baseman Trevor Werner had a career night on Friday in the series opener vs Alabama, hitting a trio of two-run homers to lead the Aggies past the Crimson Tide. It was his second multi-homer game of the season (and of his career), but was also just the ninth three-homer game in Texas A&M baseball history. The last time it happened came in 1999 when Dell Lindsey accomplished the feat. Werner enters the weekend red hot with a seven-game hit streak12 RBI during that stretch.
ASCHENBECK DOING IT ALL FROM THE PEN
It would be hard to argue Evan Aschenbeck as the MVP of the pitching staff in 2023, ranking second on the team both in appearances (20) and innings pitched (56.0). The key is that his work has come exclusively from the bullpen, and his workload from there is one among the most the nation as his 56.0 relief innings ranks as the most in the SEC and the sixth most in the nation.
BOST NEARING MORE MILESTONES
Austin Bost continues to add to his career totals as an Aggie and sits as the active leader on the roster in games played, at-bats, runs, hits, doubles, triples, home runs, RBI and walks. He enters the weekend with 190 career hits and with 10 more base hits this year would become the first Aggie since Braden Shewmake in 2019 to reach the 200-hit mark during an Aggie career. Bost also has socked 27 home runs in his career and needs 2 more to tie Brodie Greene's total of 29, which currently stands alone as 10th all-time at Texas A&M.
LAVIOLETTE NOT LOOKING LIKE A FRESHMAN
Aggie outfielder Jace LaViolette earned SEC Freshman of the Week honors after his big series at Auburn, and has continued his strong play within the SEC since. He hit three homers in the series vs Alabama leads the Aggies with 15 home runs and 50 RBI, along with 15 stolen bases. The home run total is the most by an Aggie freshman since John Byington set the program freshman record with 17 dingers in his rookie season in 1987.
SERIES PREVIEW PRESS CONFERENCE
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