Texas A&M Falls Short To LSU Tigers in SEC Tournament Quarterfinal

The Aggies' quest for the NCAA Tournament stops for now, barring what some may consider a miracle.

Texas A&M Aggies' Kaeden Kent (6) throws the ball to first baseas Auburn Tigers take on Texas A&M Aggies during the SEC baseball tournament at Hoover Met in Birmingham, Ala., on Thursday, May 22, 2025. Auburn Tigers' Eric Guevara (8) was called out on the play for an illegal slide. Texas A&M Aggies defeated Auburn Tigers 3-2. | Jake Crandall / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

So close, yet seemingly so far.

That is probably the best way to describe the 2025 SEC Tournament for the Texas A&M Aggies.

After a dominant performance Wednesday in their 9-0 win against Mississippi State and a thriller of a showing Thursday afternoon in a 3-2 win over Auburn, the Aggies were booted from the SEC Tournament after suffering a 4-3 loss at the hands of the LSU Tigers Friday night at the Hoover Met.

A slow start from the Aggies is what ultimately did the team in, as the four runs that LSU scored in the first three innings proved to be just enough for the team in the long run.

Jun 24, 2024; Omaha, NE, USA; Texas A&M Aggies right fielder Jace Laviolette (17) looks over the field after the loss against the Tennessee Volunteers at Charles Schwab Field Omaha. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images | Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images

The Maroon and White were greeted with pleasant news before first pitch though, as it was announced that star outfielder Jace LaViolette would be in the starting lineup for Michael Earley, despite suffering a fractured left hand after being hit by a pitch during the win against Auburn Thursday afternoon.

And even with one hand, LaViolette still continued to be an x-factor for the A&M offense, going 1-3 on the day with a pair of runs batted in as he sat out on defense as the team's designated hitter.

LaViolette would single down the right field line in the top of the fourth inning to put the Aggies on the board, scoring Kaeden Kent, and would later score Kent again on a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning.

Gavin Kash was responsible for the other Aggie run, with his sacrifice fly in the fourth inning scoring Wyatt Henseler.

LSU starting pitcher Kade Anderson certainly did not make scoring runs an easy task for Michael Earley and Co., striking out 12 batters in his six innings of work, including eight of the first nine Aggie hitters. He would eventually let his guard down, allowing the Aggies to score their trio of runs and notch four base hits.

Their SEC Tournament run now in the past, the Aggies will hope to have the baseball gods on their side come Selection Monday, when the field of 64 for the NCAA Tournament is announced, and A&M finds out if their ups and downs throughout the season are enough to put them back in the hunt for a national championship again.

Or if they close up shop for the year and prepare for a vengeful 2026 season.