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Kaeden Kent Powers Texas A&M Past Auburn 3-2 as LaViolette Suffers Broken Hand in SEC Tournament Win

Matt TallariniMay 22, 20257 MIN READ
Kaeden Kent hits 3 run homer for Texas A&M

HOOVER, Ala. – Kaeden Kent’s three-run home run in the top of the third inning helped spark No. 14 seed Texas A&M to a 3-2 upset win over No. 6 seed Auburn on Thursday at the SEC Tournament, a victory that came just hours after the Aggies learned they would be without star outfielder Jace LaViolette for the rest of the tournament a broken hand.

Texas A&M, now 30-25 under first-year head coach Michael Earley, will face No. 3 seed LSU in the quarterfinals on Friday, May 23, at 7 p.m. EDT on SEC Network. The Aggies’ RPI sits at 54, and Thursday’s win further strengthened their case for an NCAA Tournament bid.

Auburn, ranked No. 8 nationally by D1Baseball.com during the week of May 19, dropped to 38-17 overall and 17-14 in SEC play under head coach Butch Thompson. The Tigers will now await Selection Monday on ESPN2 to learn whether they’ll host a regional in the NCAA Tournament.

Texas A&M improved to 30-25 overall and 13-19 in SEC play under first-year head coach Michael Earley. The Aggies’ RPI sits at 54 as they aim to build their case for a tournament bid.

The Aggies struck first in the top of the third inning when shortstop Kaeden Kent launched a three-run home run over the right field wall—his 13th of the season—scoring Terrence Kiel II and Sawyer Farr.

Auburn starter Cam Tilly was pulled early in the top of the fourth after plunking catcher Bear Harrison. Carson Myers entered in relief. Tilly threw three innings, giving up two hits, three earned runs, a walk, and struck out six on 59 pitches (36 strikes).

Auburn got on the board in the bottom of the fifth when Eric Snow crushed a solo shot to left—his seventh of the year—cutting the lead to 3-1.

Aggies starter Justin Lamkin exited after five innings, having allowed three hits, one earned run, three walks, and fanned five across 85 pitches (52 strikes).

In the bottom of the eighth, Auburn’s Eric Guevara was called out for a violation on the basepaths during a potential double play, leading to an inning-ending 4-6-3 twin killing after review upheld the call by second base umpire Javerro January.

In the bottom of the ninth, Texas A&M turned to reliever Kaiden Wilson for a five-out save attempt in the ninth. After giving up a solo home run to Auburn’s Lucas Steele to make it 3-2, Wilson recorded the next out before Earley turned to closer Clayton Freshcorn. Thompson countered by pinch-hitting Deric Fabian, but Freshcorn retired him to end the game.

Texas A&M secured the win and kept its postseason hopes alive. Auburn left five runners on base in the loss.

Tilly’s record fell to 3-3 with a 5.25 ERA, while Lamkin improved to 5-7.

Texas A&M’s Jace LaViolette Leaves Game With Injury

Texas A&M head coach Michael Earley confirmed after the game that star outfielder Jace LaViolette broke his hand and will be out for the remainder of the SEC Tournament. “He got an X-ray, he broke his hand, so he’ll be out,” Earley said, adding that the staff is exploring the possibility of using LaViolette as a pinch runner if medically safe. “We’re going to see what we’re going to do with it… maybe if we can get this done, we might be able to get him back for the postseason.”

Kent said the team has responded to LaViolette’s absence by leaning on one another and staying positive throughout the dugout. “When we have injuries like Sorrell or like Jace, the chemistry and the joy and the positive energy in the dugout helps us overcome that,” he said.

Earley echoed that sentiment and credited the team’s culture for keeping them focused down the stretch. “I’ve said it a ton, but everyone cares,” he said. “There’s a ton of care in our locker room… Our problem throughout the year has not been playing clean baseball. We’ve got a bunch of guys that love each other.”

2025 SEC Baseball Tournament Schedule 

All Game Start Times Are Eastern Daylight Time

*Second Game Of Each Session Will Begin Approximately 30 Minutes After The Conclusion Of First Game  

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 – Final 

*Game 2: No. 12 Oklahoma 5, No. 13 Kentucky 1 –  Final 

Game 3: No. 10 Florida 11, No. 15 South Carolina 3 – Final 

Wednesday, May 21 – Second Round

 Game 4: No. 14 Texas A&M 9, No. 11 Mississippi State 0 – Final – First Round 

 Game 5: No. 8 Tennessee 15, No. 9 Alabama 10 – Final  

*Game 6: No. 12 Oklahoma 3, No. 5 Georgia 2  – Final 

Game 7: No. 10 Florida 1, No. 7 Ole Miss 3 – Final 

 Thursday, May 22 – Quarterfinals

Game 8: No. 14 Texas A&M 3, No. 6 Auburn 2 – Final – Second Round 

*Game 9:  No. 8 Tennessee vs. No. 1 Texas – 4 p.m. – SECN 

*Game 10: No. 12 Oklahoma vs. No. 4 Vanderbilt – 7 p.m. – SECN 

Friday, May 23 – Quarterfinals        

Game 11:  No. 7 Ole Miss vs. No. 2 Arkansas – 4 p.m. – SECN

*Game 12: No. 14 Texas A&M vs. No. 3 LSU – 7 p.m. – SECN 

Saturday, May 24 – Semifinals       

Game 13:  Winner Game 9 vs. Winner Game 10 –  1 p.m. – SECN 

*Game 14: Winner Game 11 vs. Winner Game 12 – 4 p.m.- SECN 

Sunday, May 25 – Championship Game    

Game 15:  Winner Game 13 vs. Winner Game 14 – 3 p.m. – ESPN2 

SEC MLBPipeline.com Top 150 Draft Prospects 

No. 7 – OF – Jace LaViolette – Texas A&M 

No. 8 – RHP – Kyson Witherspoon – Oklahoma 

No. 9 – LHP – Kade Anderson – Louisiana State 

No. 10 – LHP – Liam Doyle – Tennessee 

No. 16 – 2B – Gavin Kilen – Tennessee 

No. 20 – OF/C – Ike Irish – Auburn 

No. 24 – SS – Wehiwa Aloy – Arkansas 

No. 28 – OF – Max Belyeu – Texas 

No. 33 – RHP – Riley Quick – Alabama 

No. 35 – 1B/3B – Andrew Fischer – Tennessee 

No. 36 – OF/3B – Ethan Petry – South Carolina 

No. 44 – LHP – Zach Root – Arkansas 

No. 54 – SS/3B – Dean Curley – Tennessee 

No. 55 – RHP – A.J. Russell – Tennessee 

No. 60 – OF – Charles Davalan – Arkansas 

No. 66 – 2B – Daniel Dickinson – Louisiana State 

No. 69 – RHP – Marcus Phillips – Tennessee 

No. 72 – LHP – J.D. Thompson – Vanderbilt 

No. 78 – RHP – Chase Shores – Louisiana State 

No. 79 –  LHP- Jared Spencer – Texas 

No. 90 – 1B – Jared Jones – Louisiana State 

No. 99 – LHP – Justin Lamkin – Texas A&M 

No. 100 – OF – RJ Austin – Vanderbilt 

No. 101 – C – Easton Carmichael – Oklahoma 

No. 102 – LHP – Pico Kohn – Mississippi State

No. 113 – RHP – Nate Snead –  Tennessee 

No. 116 – RHP – Mason Morris – Mississippi 

No. 117 – SS – Jalin Morris – Texas

No. 123 – OF/1B – Tre Phelps  – Georgia 

No. 131 – SS – Colby Shelton – Florida 

No. 133 – RHP – Malachi Witherspoon – Oklahoma 

No. 141 – 3B – Brent Iredale – Arkansas 

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