Texas A&M gets Shane Sdao back on the mound and Nico Partida at third as the Aggies open the College Station Regional against Lamar.
Texas A&M baseball finally has something it hasn’t had enough of lately ... health.
As the Aggies prepare to open the College Station Regional against Lamar, head coach Michael Earley gave fans the update they’d been waiting for.
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Shane Sdao will start Game 1, and freshman Nico Partida is back in the lineup at third base.
That’s a big deal for a Texas A&M team that spent the last month patching holes, moving bodies around and trying to survive an injury mess that turned the infield into a weekly puzzle.
Now, with postseason pressure here, the Aggies look a lot closer to full strength.
Sdao getting the ball Friday gives A&M a proven arm to set the tone. He had previously held the Friday-night starter role, and putting him back on the mound in the regional opener signals that the Aggies want to attack from the first pitch, not ease into the weekend.
The lineup news may be just as important.
Partida’s return allows Texas A&M to slide Gavin Grahovac back to first base, while Chris Hacopian moves into the designated hitter spot as he continues working through physical issues.
Ben Royo will handle second base, giving the Aggies their cleanest defensive setup in weeks.
That matters in regional baseball. One bad inning, one booted grounder or one awkward defensive alignment can flip a weekend in a hurry.
A&M has enough firepower to make noise, but it needed the defense and pitching plan to settle down.
Now, it has a path.
The Aggies will face Lamar on Friday at 3 p.m. on SEC Network, and the stakes are obvious.
This isn’t just about winning the opener. It’s about reminding everyone why Texas A&M looked like one of the SEC’s most dangerous teams before injuries knocked the rhythm sideways.
With Sdao back on the mound and Partida back at the hot corner, the Aggies aren’t limping into the College Station Regional.
They’re walking in with bite.
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