HOOVER, Ala. ā With a sea of purple and yellow packing Hoover Metropolitan Stadium on Friday night, No. 3 LSU fended off a gutsy effort from No. 14 Texas A&M, winning 4-3 in the quarterfinals of the 2025 Southeastern Conference Tournament.
Attendance was announced at 13,627 and the game lasted two hours and 30 minutes.
The Tigers advanced to 43-13 under head coach Jay Johnson and improved to 20-11 in SEC play. LSU will face No. 4 seed Ole Miss on Saturday at 2 p.m. EDT on SEC Network. LSU is ranked No. 1 in the country in the Top 25 Rankings that were published by D1Baseball.com on May 19.
Texas A&M fell to 30-26 (13-20 SEC) under first-year head coach Michael Earley. With an RPI of 50 and the No. 9 strength of schedule, the Aggies will now wait for Selection Monday on May 26 at 12 p.m. EDT on ESPN2 to learn if their postseason will continue.
Kade Anderson struck out four straight to open the game, getting Kaeden Kent, Wyatt Hensler, and Jace LaViolette swinging, then fanning Bear Harrison to start the second.
Kade punches out the side to get us started šŖ@KadeAnderson32 | SECN pic.twitter.com/pzpCF5YZhj
— LSU Baseball (@LSUbaseball) May 23, 2025
It was the Kade Anderson show in Hoover š¤
š„ Most strikeouts by an @LSUbaseball pitcher in an SEC tournament game
š„ First pitcher to record 12 K in an SEC tournament game without pitching into the 7th inning pic.twitter.com/6ZcEbRD2Kp— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) May 24, 2025
In the bottom of the first, Derek Curiel doubled and was moved over on a bunt by Daniel Dickinson. Ethan Frey then drove a double to right that tipped off the glove of Jamal George, putting LSU on the board.
Tigers Strike First@ethanfrey_16 | SECN pic.twitter.com/QjVCcW0Nch
— LSU Baseball (@LSUbaseball) May 24, 2025
Luis Hernandez grounded out to shortstop Kent, scoring Jared Jones to make it 2-0.
In the third, Frey added a two-out, two-run homer to left-centerāhis 12th of the seasonāto stretch LSUās lead to 4-0.
It's Frey's Day In Hoover@ethanfrey_16 | SECN pic.twitter.com/KK6AfFHepo
— LSU Baseball (@LSUbaseball) May 24, 2025
LaViolette got the Aggies on the board in the fourth with an RBI single to right, scoring Kent.
1ā£7ā£ puts the Ags on the board!#GigEm pic.twitter.com/yybIooB4zV
— Texas A&M Baseball (@AggieBaseball) May 24, 2025
Kash followed with a sacrifice fly to bring in Hensler, cutting the lead to 4-2.
In the sixth, LaViolette lifted a sac fly to right, scoring Kent again and bringing A&M within a run at 4-3.
Anderson exited after six innings with 12 strikeouts, four hits, three earned runs, one walk, and 84 pitches (62 strikes). Johnson turned the game over to Anthony Eyanson in the seventh.
Texas A&M threatened immediately. Kash led off with a triple. Ben Royo grounded to third, but an interference call against Jared Jones for running lane obstruction was overturned after review, sending Kash back to third with one out.
Wow. What a massive runner interference call against Texas A&M pic.twitter.com/cXRpE7oaq4
— 11Point7 College Baseball (@11point7) May 24, 2025
A&M tied the game (briefly) as a throw skipped by 1B into RF. The batter Ben Royo was ruled to be out of the runner's lane on review and called out. Gavin Kash, who led off the inning with a triple that skipped by LSU CF Chris Stanfield, was then stranded as Eyanson struck out PHā¦
— Mark Etheridge (@marketheridge) May 24, 2025
From that point, LSU pitching locked in.
After review, Royo is called for interference. Kash goes back to 3B. LSU still leads 4-3 with 1 out in the top of the 7th. Huge break for the Tigers: https://t.co/vRiTjx3WyJ
— Alex Miller (@AlexMill20) May 24, 2025
Eyanson struck out the first two batters in the ninthāLaViolette swinging and Harrison lookingābefore walking Kash. Royo singled to right, putting runners on the corners. But Eyanson got Terrence Kiel II to ground out to short, sealing the win.
LSU HOLDS OFF TEXAS A&M šÆ@LSUbaseball is back in the SEC tournament semifinals! pic.twitter.com/9Z7g7YThF0
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) May 24, 2025
A&M starter Myles Patton and reliever Clayton Freshcorn combined for eight innings, four hits, two earned runs, eight strikeouts, and one walk. The Aggies stranded four baserunners.
Jace LaViolette Plays Through Broken Hand In Gritty Return Hours After Surgery
The most jaw-dropping storyline of the night didnāt come from the box score.
Texas A&M outfielder Jace LaViolette, just one day after suffering a broken hand in the Aggiesā win over Auburn, returned to the lineup Friday night against LSUāless than 24 hours after undergoing surgery.
Texas A&M head coach Michael Earley had initially ruled LaViolette out for the rest of the SEC Tournament on May 22, āHe got an X-ray, he broke his hand, so heāll be out.ā Earley said the team was exploring whether LaViolette could possibly pinch-run in the postseason.
SEC Network echoed the report that LaViolette would miss the tournament.
Texas A&M head coach Michael Earley confirms that Jace LaViolette fractured his left hand and will miss the remainder of the SEC tournament.
LaViolette is @AggieBaseball's all-time leader in home runs and RBI. pic.twitter.com/arrAhPkt5L
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) May 22, 2025
What happened next defied belief.
LaViolette underwent surgery at 7:50 a.m. Friday morning. By 6:35 p.m., he was in uniform, batting cleanup, and delivering RBI swings in front of more than 13,000 fans at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium.
THIS IS THE NUMBER ONE STORY IN SPORTS
Surgery this morning at 7:50. Game time at 6:35. This dude is special @JaceLaViolette2
Something is brewing @AggieBaseball šš½ pic.twitter.com/eTy9EmtTNJ
— Jack DeLongchamps (@JDelongchamps) May 23, 2025
Hell of a story here. Jace LaViolette, a day after breaking his hand, is back in the lineup for Texas A&M vs. LSU.
The break was bad enough to require surgery, which he had LAST NIGHT. Heās playing with a metal pin in his knuckle.
Thatās a ball player right there. pic.twitter.com/vLyZmJqIUv
— Joe Doyle (@JoeDoyleMiLB) May 24, 2025
āItās one of the most unbelievable things I have ever seen,ā Earley said after the game. āHe had surgery yesterday at 7:00 p.m. and played in a game at 6:45. Iāve never seen anything like thatā¦ Thatās maybe the most incredible thing Iāve ever seen on a baseball field.ā
Jace Laviolette ripping base knocks with a broken hand is admittedly one of the more badass things youāll see in sports pic.twitter.com/mKnMjj6zvZ
— Barstool SEC (@SECBarstool) May 24, 2025
LaViolette was matter-of-fact.
āGot hit in the hand yesterday, broke a bone in there, got surgery and played today,ā he said. When asked why, he didnāt hesitate: āI said in an interview Iād run through a brick wall for this guy and I want to win. Thatās just about it.ā
He delivered an RBI single in the fourth and a sacrifice fly in the sixth, cutting LSUās lead to one run. In the ninth, he struck out swinging against Anthony Eyanson in his final at-bat.
After the game, LaViolette reflected emotionally on his time as an Aggie.
āThe past three years have undoubtedly been the best three years of my life,ā he said. āI call this man my father. I really do. Iād die for him. And thereās multiple people on this team that would kill to play one more damn game for him.ā
LSU Postgame Reactions
LSU head coach Jay Johnson had high praise for Texas A&Mās Jace LaViolette, who defied the odds just by stepping onto the field.
“If thatās the last time I have to play against Jace, Iām going to be very happy about that,” Johnson said. “Heās a great player and a great human being. To get on the field tonight after that, thatās special.”
Anderson credited his game plan and staff for the 12-strikeout performance.
“Just believing in Coach Yeskie. I have full faith in our coaches, and when you succeed, thatās what happens,” he said.
Frey, who crushed an 0-2 pitch for the game-winning homer, kept it simple.
“It was 0-2, and I just tried to put a barrel on something,” Frey said. “We try to drive pitch counts, and when you get a free pitch like that, youāve got to take advantage.”
Johnson, reflecting on both players, said they represent what LSU baseball is built on.
“These two guys right here, this is what our program is all about. Great players, better people,” he said.
2025 SEC Baseball Tournament ScheduleĀ
Tennessee and Vanderbilt will play the first game of the semifinals on May 24 at 11 a.m. EDT due to a forecast of inclement weather in Hoover Metropolitan Area on Saturday afternoon after being scheduled for 1 p.m. EDT.
All Game Start Times Are Eastern Daylight Time
*Second Game Of Each Session Will Begin Approximately 30 Minutes After The Conclusion Of First GameĀ Ā
Tuesday-Sunday, May 20-25
Hoover Metropolitan Stadium, Hoover, Ala.
Tuesday, May 20 – First Round
Game 1: No. 9 Alabama 4, No. 16 Missouri 1 – FinalĀ
*Game 2: No. 12 Oklahoma 5, No. 13 Kentucky 1 –Ā FinalĀ
Game 3: No. 10 Florida 11, No. 15 South Carolina 3 – FinalĀ
Wednesday, May 21 – Second Round
Ā Game 4: No. 14 Texas A&M 9, No. 11 Mississippi State 0 – Final – First RoundĀ
Ā Game 5: No. 8 Tennessee 15, No. 9 Alabama 10 – FinalĀ Ā
*Game 6: No. 12 Oklahoma 3, No. 5 Georgia 2Ā – FinalĀ
Game 7: No. 10 Florida 1, No. 7 Ole Miss 3 – FinalĀ
Ā Thursday, May 22 – Quarterfinals
Game 8: No. 14 Texas A&M 3, No. 6 Auburn 2 – Final – Second RoundĀ
*Game 9:Ā No. 8 Tennessee 7, No. 1 Texas 5 – F/12Ā
*Game 10: No. 12 Oklahoma 1, No. 4 Vanderbilt 6 – FinalĀ
Ā Friday, May 23 – QuarterfinalsĀ Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā
Game 11:Ā No. 7 Ole Miss 5, No. 2 Arkansas 2 – 4 p.m. – SECN
*Game 12: No. 14 Texas A&M vs. No. 3 LSU – 7 p.m. – SECNĀ
Ā Saturday, May 24 – SemifinalsĀ Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā
Game 13:Ā No. 8 Tennessee vs. No. 4 Vanderbilt – 10 a.m. EDT – SECNĀ
*Game 14: No. 7 Ole Miss vs. No. 3 LSU –Ā 30 minutes after Game 13 concludes – SECNĀ
Ā Sunday, May 25 – Championship GameĀ Ā Ā Ā
Game 15:Ā Winner Game 13 vs. Winner Game 14 – 3 p.m. – ESPN2Ā
Ā SEC MLBPipeline.com Top 150 Draft ProspectsĀ
No. 7 – OF – Jace LaViolette – Texas A&MĀ
No. 8 – RHP – Kyson Witherspoon – OklahomaĀ
No. 9 – LHP – Kade Anderson – Louisiana StateĀ
No. 10 – LHP – Liam Doyle – TennesseeĀ
No. 16 – 2B – Gavin Kilen – TennesseeĀ
No. 20 – OF/C – Ike Irish – AuburnĀ
No. 24 – SS – Wehiwa Aloy – ArkansasĀ
No. 28 – OF – Max Belyeu – TexasĀ
No. 33 – RHP – Riley Quick – AlabamaĀ
No. 35 – 1B/3B – Andrew Fischer – TennesseeĀ
No. 36 – OF/3B – Ethan Petry – South CarolinaĀ
No. 44 – LHP – Zach Root – ArkansasĀ
No. 54 – SS/3B – Dean Curley – TennesseeĀ
No. 55 – RHP – A.J. Russell – TennesseeĀ
No. 60 – OF – Charles Davalan – ArkansasĀ
No. 66 – 2B – Daniel Dickinson – Louisiana StateĀ
No. 69 – RHP – Marcus Phillips – TennesseeĀ
No. 72 – LHP – J.D. Thompson – VanderbiltĀ
No. 78 – RHP – Chase Shores – Louisiana StateĀ
No. 79 –Ā LHP- Jared Spencer – TexasĀ
No. 90 – 1B – Jared Jones – Louisiana StateĀ
No. 99 – LHP – Justin Lamkin – Texas A&MĀ
No. 100 – OF – RJ Austin – VanderbiltĀ
No. 101 – C – Easton Carmichael – OklahomaĀ
No. 102 – LHP – Pico Kohn – Mississippi State
No. 113 – RHP – Nate Snead –Ā TennesseeĀ
No. 116 – RHP – Mason Morris – MississippiĀ
No. 117 – SS – Jalin Morris – Texas
No. 123 – OF/1B – Tre PhelpsĀ – GeorgiaĀ
No. 131 – SS – Colby Shelton – FloridaĀ
No. 133 – RHP – Malachi Witherspoon – OklahomaĀ
No. 141 – 3B – Brent Iredale – ArkansasĀ
