Texas A&M’s Ronnie Gideon Game-Winning Homer Wins Series Over LSU

Photo Texas A&M Athletics

COLLEGE STATION, Texas -  Ronnie Gideon hit a game-winning solo homer in the bottom of the eighth as Texas A&M takes the series win over No. 5 LSU with a 4-3 win on Sunday. Gideon capped off a three-hit, two-run scored night with his first long ball on the year that put the Aggies ahead for good.

Gideon’s homer solidified a great outing by Texas A&M starting pitcher Grayson Long who worked around seven hits and two walks to hold the Tigers to three earned runs. Long struck out three LSU hitters in six innings of work and left after surrendering a lead-off single to Conner Hale to open the seventh.

Hale would score on a double by Christian Ibarra off of Aggies’ reliever Ty Schlottmann to tie the game at three as the see-saw battle continued.

It started when Friday night hero Mark Laird got a first inning RBI on a sac fly as LSU struck first. However, Nick Banks had a three hit night that included a first inning RBI double for Texas A&M that immediately tied the game at one.

Hale hit a solo home run to lead off the fifth inning and retake for the Tigers but the Aggies would respond as Jace Statum hit an RBI single and scored on a sac fly in the fifth, part of his two hit night, to grab a 3-2 lead.

The win helps the Aggies climb in NCAA Regionals status.

SEC Baseball

OXFORD, Miss. - Chris Oliver threw seven solid innings allowing an earned run on five hits and three walks while striking out five to lead Arkansas to an 11-1 win over No. 10 Ole Miss to avoid the sweep. Eric Fisher scored twice and drove in two more while Bobby Wernes had three RBI to lead the 16 hit attack.

AUBURN, Ala. - Matthew Britton scored a run and drove in four more to lead the Mississippi State Bulldog offense in a 12-1 blowout of Auburn to sweep the series. Brett Pirtle, Gavin Collins and Reid Humphreys each contributed three hits in the offensive effort.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Peter Alonso hit a two-run single, an RBI double and a solo homer to lead No. 13 Florida to a 13-3 win over No. 19 Alabama to sweep the series. Richie Martin and Harrison Bader each scored two runs and drove in two more runs as the Gators continued to pound Alabama pitching.