Texas A&M Caps Off Epic Comeback vs. South Carolina With Walk-Off Grand Slam

After being down 12-2 at one point in the game, the Aggies rode the comeback of the century to win their sixth consecutive game.
Jun 9, 2024; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M infielder Kaeden Kent (3) hits a grand slam in the top of the seventh inning against Oregon at Olsen Field, Blue Bell Park Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images
Jun 9, 2024; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M infielder Kaeden Kent (3) hits a grand slam in the top of the seventh inning against Oregon at Olsen Field, Blue Bell Park Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images / Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

If you thought Caden Sorrell's walk-off home run in the 10th inning of Thursday night's game was a case of "Olsen Magic," you might want to sit down for this one.

The Texas A&M Aggies came back from a 12-2 deficit at one point in the contest, scoring 13 unanswered runs in the last four innings, capped off by a pair of grand slams by Hayden Schott and Kaeden Kent in the bottom of the ninth inning to win 15-12 and seal their first conference sweep of the season.

The team faced a 12-2 deficit after the top of the sixth, a 12-3 deficit entering the seventh, and were down 12-7 entering the ninth.

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Jun 17, 2024; Omaha, NE, USA; Texas A&M Aggies designated hitter Hayden Schott (5) celebrates as he scores a run against the Kentucky Wildcats during the sixth inning at Charles Schwab Field Omaha. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images / Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

The Aggies started out by taking at early 2-0 lead after a sacrifice fly by Caden Sorrell and a wild pitch that scored Kaeden Kent in the first two innings.

The Gamecocks would come back with runs of their own, their first since Thursday night, in the form of solo home runs by Dalton Mashore and Evan Stone, the latter of which kickstarted a seven-run fifth inning for the Gamecocks.

After pitching a near flawless first four innings that saw him strike out five batters, Aggie starting pitcher Myles Patton started to fall apart in the fifth, allowing seven earned runs as the Gamecock bats began to catch some heat.

The sixth inning was not any better for the Aggie defense, as the three pitchers that Michael Earley used in the inning allowed four more runs to cross, putting the Aggies down 12-2 and in danger of getting run-ruled themselves after pulling off the feat themselves not 24 hours ago.

But then it happened.

The heart of "Olsen Magic" slowly began to beat in the bottom of the sixth inning, as a ground out from Jace LaViolette to second base allowing Jamal George to come across, putting a minor scratch in the Gamecock lead.

The heartbeat grew stronger in the bottom of the seventh inning, as Blake Binderup sent a 2-2 pitch 410 feet over the left field that just about knocked a window out of the Student Recreation Center behind the ballpark, scoring Kaeden Kent as well to cut the lead to 12-5 after seven innings.

The crowd that originally consisted of 7,457 Aggie fans had greatly dwindled down by the time the eighth inning rolled around, but you wouldn't have been able to tell by the energy level, and a two-run double by Caden Sorrell that scored Terrence Kiel II and Jace LaViolette to cut the lead to five runs fueled the fire of the 12th Man even more.

After LHP Caden McCoy got the Aggies out a bases-loaded jam in the top of the ninth inning, the imaginary roof of Blue Bell Park was about to blow off as the Aggie fans anticipated a monumental comeback from their "Fightin' Farmers."

Ask and you shall receive, 12th Man.

Kaeden Kent started the inning with a single down the third base line, past a heavily shifted infield, and Blake Binderup would follow suit by also finding the left field grass.

And after Ben Royo worked a 1-2 count all the way to a walk, the opening saxophone of "Careless Whisper" filled Blue Bell Park as Hayden Schott was announced as the pinch hitter for Jamal George.

And there was nothing careless about Schott's at-bat, nor was there any whispering amongst the fans in College Station, as the de facto "12th Man" of the team took a 2-1 pitch to the opposite field into the left center bleachers for a grand slam to cut South Carolina's lead to a single run.

With their backs now against the wall, the Gamecocks finally secured an out as Terrence Kiel II grounded out to the shortstop.

The energy of the crowd still had not settled from the grand slam, and Jace LaViolette smashed a single into center field, putting the tying run on the base paths.

Wyatt Henseler struck out swinging, but after a "Ball 5" chant turned into a "Ball 9" chant following four-pitch walks to Caden Sorrell and Bear Harrison, the Aggies found themselves back to where they started in the inning with Kaeden Kent at the plate.

Yes, Kaeden Kent. The same guy that smashed that grand slam in the Super Regional against Oregon last year.

Apparently, that's become more of his thing.

On a 2-1 pitch with the bases loaded and two outs, "the son of Jeff Kent" nailed a no-doubt, walk-off grand slam out to the train tracks behind the visitor bullpen in right field, even stopping to admire the ball leaving the yard and capping off an incomparable Aggie comeback that saw them score 13 unanswered runs in the final four innings.

The win was their sixth consecutive, and fifth consecutive in SEC play, keeping their hopes of returning to Omaha alive.

As the team celebrates yet another successful conference weekend, they will be right back to work Tuesday night at Blue Bell Park as they take on the Tarleton State Texans.

Right back to work as the hottest team in the SEC right now.

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Aaron Raley
AARON RALEY

Aaron Raley is a credentialed writer covering the Texas A&M Aggies for On SI, joining the team on May 27, 2024. Born and raised in Northeast Texas, Aaron is a senior journalism major at Texas A&M University and is also minoring in history and sports management. Aaron’s writing abilities are driven by his love and passion for various sports, both at the collegiate and professional level, as well as his experience in playing sports, especially baseball and football.