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Texas A&M Star Makes Shocking Return vs. LSU Tigers

The Texas A&M Aggies will surprisingly have their best player against the No. 1 LSU Tigers in the SEC Tournament.
Zach Dimmitt|
Texas A&M's Jace LaViolette (17) smiles during game three of the NCAA College World Series finals between Tennessee and Texas A&M at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Neb., on Monday, June 24, 2024.
Texas A&M's Jace LaViolette (17) smiles during game three of the NCAA College World Series finals between Tennessee and Texas A&M at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Neb., on Monday, June 24, 2024. | Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

In a surprising development, the Texas A&M Aggies baseball team will have arguably its best player available with the season on the line.

According to Ryan Brauninger of TexAgs, Texas A&M star outfielder Jace LaViolette will play Friday at the SEC Tournament against the No. 1 LSU Tigers in a designated hitter role despite suffering a broken bone in his left hand on Thursday in the 3-2 win over Auburn.

Texas A&M head coach Michael Earley had announced that LaViolette would miss the rest of the tournament. However, Brauninger reports that LaViolette's injury can't get any worse than it is, making it a matter of managing the pain instead.

Jace LaViolette
Auburn Tigers' Cooper McMurray (26) encourages Texas A&M Aggies' Jace LaViolette (17) after LaViolette got hit in the hands by a pitch as Auburn Tigers take on Texas A&M Aggies during the SEC baseball tournament at Hoover Met in Birmingham, Ala., on Thursday, May 22, 2025. | Jake Crandall / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

LaViolette exited the Auburn game in the top of the fifth inning after taking a Carson Myers fastball off his left hand, his dominant hand, while checking his swing.

In the 9-0 win over Mississippi State on Wednesday, LaViolette had a grand slam in the second inning that gave the Aggies an early 6-0 lead.

“I spend a lot of time with [coach Michael Earley],” LaViolette said after the game. “We work together all the time and its just being on the fast ball and trusting myself. I think I did a lot better job with that today and just got to keep doing that going forward. ... As long as I can stick to the approach… of always being on the fast ball and just trying to get my swing off, I think that I can play at any level, any time."

Laviolette’s knock snapped his 18-at-bat hitless streak, something he and Earley had been working towards.

”He was hitting backwards,” Earley said. “He was taking the strikes and swinging at the balls. He was just in a funk… I thought it was a great at-bat for him.”

Texas A&M and LSU will begin play at 6:30 p.m. CT.

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Zach Dimmitt
ZACH DIMMITT

Zach Dimmitt is the Deputy Editor for Texas Longhorns On SI and Texas A&M Aggies On SI. He also contributes as a writer for the On SI channels of the Oregon Ducks, Baltimore Ravens and Tennessee Titans. He was previously the editor-in-chief of Buffalo Bills on SI, Philadelphia Eagles on SI and Seattle Seahawks on SI. Born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, Dimmitt received his Bachelor’s Degree in journalism at the University of Texas at Austin in 2022. He originally started with SI’s Fan Nation network in 2021, providing extensive coverage of the NFL and NBA along with college football and basketball. In that time, Dimmitt has published thousands of stories and has reached millions of people across multiple fan bases. You can follow him on X at @ZachDimmitt7

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