Texas A&M now tied for second place in SEC after series win over Texas

No. 18 Texas A&M (27-7, 9-5 SEC) made a clear statement this weekend after defeating No. 2 Texas on Friday night and Saturday afternoon, winning its first series over the Longhorns in two seasons, while the return of former head coach Jim Schlossnagle loomed for an Aggie fan base that still feels betrayed nearly two years after his shocking departure.

Led by an offense that leads the SEC in eight categories, Texas A&M escaped Game 1 with a 9-8 victory, while Saturday's 11-4 blowout win was virtually over as the first frame, thanks to an eight-run inning in the bottom of the first after the hour-long weather delay, due to inclement conditions in College Station. However, while the offense produced, the Aggie pitching staff deserves a ton of credit for getting the job done.

On Friday, Shane Sdao lasted four innings, striking out six while allowing four runs, and while Ethan Darden and reliever Clayton Freshcorn each allowed two runs, both pitchers got out of jams. On Saturday, sophomore Aiden Sims and Gavin Lyons allowed just four runs and eight combined strikeouts as coach Michael Earley needed just two arms to finish the game.

Heading into Sunday, Earley stated after the game that junior Weston Moss will "likely" take the mound for Game 3, as the Aggies' notable pitching struggles aren't solved, but if Moss can make it through six innings relatively unscathed, Texas A&M has a chance to sweep the Longhorns for the first time since 1991.

Still, with Saturday's win, Texas A&M is now 9-5 in SEC play and is tied with Texas at 9-5 for second place in the conference. If the Aggies can sweep the Longhorns, they will hold onto second place heading into next week's road series vs. LSU.

SEC Standings

1. Georgia (29-7, 11-3 SEC)
2. Texas (27-7, 9-5 SEC)
3. Texas A&M (27-7, 9-5 SEC)
4. Alabama (26-10, 8-6 SEC)
5. Florida (26-10, 8-6 SEC)
6. Mississippi State (26-8, 7-6 SEC)
7. Auburn (23-10, 7-6 SEC)
8. Ole Miss (25-11, 7-7 SEC)
9. Arkansas (23-13, 7-7 SEC)
10. Oklahoma (24-11, 7-8 SEC)
11. Vanderbilt (21-16, 7-8 SEC0
12. Kentucky (24-9, 6-7 SEC)
13. LSU (22-14, 6-8 SEC)
14. Tennessee (22-12, 5-8 SEC)
15. South Carolina (18-19, 5-10 SEC)
16. Missouri (20-17, 3-12 SEC)

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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Texas A&M baseball now tied for second place in SEC standings