Belief! Resilient Aggies erase 10-run deficit in magical walk-off win

Game #35: Texas A&M 15, South Carolina 12
Records: Texas A&M (20-15, 6-9), South Carolina (20-17, 2-13)
WP: Caden McCoy (2-1)
LP: Caleb Jones (0-1)
Box Score

Resilience.

That's the word an out-of-breath, exhausted and proud Michael Earley settled on in Texas A&M's third base dugout.

His Aggies had just completed the most incredible — and largest — comeback victory in the history of Olsen Field as a pair of ninth-inning grand slams walked off South Carolina, 15-12.

However, there might be a better term to describe the events of Saturday afternoon.

Magic.

"I can't even describe how I felt," Earley said. "I was in the on-deck circle, which is kind of embarrassing, just trying to keep that ball fair.

"I don't remember much. I just remember a lot of hugs and just being... I can't explain it. That was frickin' awesome."

Kaeden Kent began an eight-run, last-ditch rally with a leadoff single for his third hit of the day.

Trailing 12-11, his fourth was crushed a ball deep down the right-field line. There was no doubt it had the distance. The only question was whether or not it would hook foul.

"The moment was big, and the situation was big, and the crowd was into it. It just made the game so much more fun to play," Kent said. "I was worried it was going to go foul, but the wind — I guess we had a whatever-direction wind — and it kept it fair, so I was stoked on that.

"It's special celebrating with our team and how close we are and the joy we have for each other."

Be it the wind or a higher being — maybe even a big Aggie in the sky — Kent's clutch swing off right-hander Caleb Jones sent what remained of the 7,457 gathered at Blue Bell Park into euphoria.

Once again, fate had Kent at the forefront of a magical moment.

Last June, he hit another grand slam that helped the Aggies clinch a spot in Omaha.

Still far from the Heartland, his April shot has turned A&M's flickering postseason hopes into an established flame.

"That's God putting me in a situation and allowing me to have success," Kent said. "That's awesome."

However, he was the second to don the green jacket in the ninth.

Six batters earlier, pinch-hitter Hayden Schott got the Aggies within proximity with a grand slam of his own.

"I honestly was trying not to strike out," he said. "I was just thinking about everyone looking at me when I came back to the dugout if I struck out, and I really didn't want to do that.

"I was trying to move the ball. I just wanted to at least give us a chance and at least get someone in. I don't know. I put a good swing on it."

By the time his better-than-good swing sent a ball into the left-center field bleachers, the Aggies had much more than a chance.

The first of two ninth-inning grand slams got A&M within a run with still nobody out in the frame.

Prior to Schott's shot, A&M had started clawing its way back from a 10-run deficit.

Trailing 12-2 after the top of the sixth, the Aggies scored once in the sixth and two more in both the seventh and eighth.

Down 12-7, they needed more than magic. A&M needed a miracle.

Maroon & White prayers were most certainly answered.

"The right word is probably just 'belief,'" Schott explained. "I think we've had a lot of that. The whole season has just been about us guys in that locker room and no one else. ... It has just been 'F everybody else,' to be honest with you. It's no disrespect to anyone, but we're a family. It's just us.

"It's our family, and we get to decide what we do with our season."

Schott's choice is a good word, too. Beyond resilience, belief and even pride, "relief" also comes to mind.

And nobody pitched better in relief than Brad Rudis, who kept the Gamecocks scoreless across three innings while striking out four.

Zoe Kelton, TexAgs

Kaeden Kent headlined A&M’s comeback victory, going 4-for-5 with a grand slam.

Then came Caden McCoy, who slammed the door shut on South Carolina's bases-loaded threat in the top of the ninth.

"Those guys kept us in the game," Earley said of Rudis and McCoy. "Credit to the hitters that didn't have good days. ... They just never, ever stopped playing, and we've never stopped all year, so I wasn't surprised. That was one of the coolest moments I've ever been a part of."

That set the stage for a script most Hollywood directors wouldn't believe.

However, such theatrics were required because left-handed starter Myles Patton watched the wheels fall off during a seven-run fifth.

"A couple of balls got away from him that typically don't," Earley said. "You know how baseball can be. One pitch can change something. I'm not worried about him at all and can't wait to watch him pitch next weekend."

Relievers Clayton Freshcorn, Kaiden Wilson and Luke Jackson were each ineffective as the Gamecocks added four more an inning later.

In total, South Carolina ripped off 12 unanswered to erase A&M's early 2-0 advantage.

Further, the Aggies failed to cash in on opportunity after opportunity.

Before Blake Binderup's two-run homer in the seventh, A&M was 0-for-11 with men in scoring position. Before that moment, they had stranded nine runners through six.

"I don't think we played nine because we left a lot of guys on early in the game, but that's why you play nine," Earley said. "That's why you play a complete game. That's why you never stop having good at-bats. That's why you never stop pitching."

Because they played nine, they completed a much-needed sweep.

Now 6-9 in conference, the Aggies have won five straight SEC games and six in a row overall.

After starting 0-6 and then 1-9 vs. the league, they're in the middle of what has to be a magical turnaround.

With one of the most magical days in Olsen's history, Earley's Aggies have given the 12th Man something more tangible and stronger than hope:

Belief.