SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE BASEBALL TOURNAMENT

May 22, 2025

Michael Earley

Justin Lamkin

Kaeden Kent

Hoover Metropolitan Stadium

Texas A&M Aggies

Postgame Press Conference

Texas A&M 3, Auburn 2

Q. Two quality outings. Can you tell me what you were feeling today and what you've been feeling the last couple weeks?

JUSTIN LAMKIN: Yeah, obviously, I felt good. In Athens it was a good momentum builder for me, and just coming into this week, I think I really did a good job of preparing for this start, and I just felt really good out there.

Q. Kaeden, that three-run home run in the third inning, how do you feel like that gave you guys so much momentum to come up on the left side of the win column and just continuing to sort bad being there for one another?

KAEDEN KENT: Yeah, I mean, anytime you can score for your team, it's a big deal. So any time you have a chance to do that, obviously, you want to get it done for the team, for the guys in the dugout who constantly are cheering me on, cheering the team on. When we have injuries like Sorrell or like Jace and the chemistry and the joy and the positive energy in the dugout helps us overcome that, and I think that's a big contributor to our success.

Q. What's it say for this team that it continues to fight knowing what's on the line going forward?

KAEDEN KENT: I think, like I said, our positive energy that we have in the dugout, guys like Binderup, Matt Bergevin, Jamal George, they're all ready to go in and they all are cheering everybody else on. The vibe is high, like people say. And when we have fun playing the game with each other, then I think it brings out the best in people.

JUSTIN LAMKIN: Yeah, I think we've got a really good group around us. I think we're all playing for each other. I think it's a big thing, and like Kaeden said, the vibes are high, and everybody is just ready to go when we next go.

Q. Guys, what makes this place more special? Magical things happen in Hoover. What makes the Hoover Met so special to you all?

JUSTIN LAMKIN: For me, I think you're facing good teams constantly every single day. It's the SEC, it's the best conference, especially when you have a place like the Hoover Met and you get fans from all different schools. It's just great to compete in.

Q. Lamkin, what was working for you today with your mechanics, and how do you feel about Harrison being the true workhorse behind the dish?

JUSTIN LAMKIN: Yeah, I think for me today, it was just taking it one pitch at a time, just kind of mixing in and keeping hitters off balance. I credit JK, did his pitch calling; I think he did a great job, and that was a key to my success. To throw to a guy like Bear was just great, a big target back there. Just gives me a lot of affirmation when I'm throwing, which helps.

Q. Kind of a similar question to them. you guys are on your run, so what makes this team special to overcome so much adversity like you have this season?

MICHAEL EARLEY: Yeah, I've said it a ton, but everyone cares. There's a ton of care in our locker room, and that's never been our problem. Our problem throughout the year has not been playing clean baseball. We've got a bunch of guys that love each other, we love them and going to keep playing.

Played nine innings, and at the end of the game we'll see what happens. Today we got the hit, and they didn't. They're a really good baseball team, but Kent delivered and our pitching really stepped up and took care of us, and it was a really good team baseball win.

Q. Going into tomorrow against LSU, you won your series against them this season and you really have the familiarity against them. What kind of confidence does that give your team and you going into tomorrow evening?

MICHAEL EARLEY: Yeah, I mean, they're a really good baseball team and every game is different. I'm just confident in our players and their fight and their readiness in every single game, and LSU is an unbelievably coached baseball team with a lot of good players, so it's going to be a dogfight. It's going to be a tough matchup, so we're going to have to come out and play clean innings for nine, and then look up and see what happens.

Q. Coach, any update on Jace LaViolette, what he's dealing with and what his prognosis is moving forward?

MICHAEL EARLEY: Yeah, he got an X-ray, he broke his hand, so he'll be out. We're going to see what we're going to do with it. I don't know if there's a situation where we get him operated on how what we're going capacity where he's able to pinch run as long as we're able to pad it up and he's safe and can't injure it. That, I don't know at this moment, but he's not going to be in the starting lineup for this tournament. But we think if if we can get this done, then we might be able to get him back for the postseason.

Q. Michael, this new format is going to lend itself to teams that are coming in a little bit rusty maybe or they've had more time off. You're in the flow of the tournament. Is there an advantage there when you meet a team that's playing its first game and you've already been here?

MICHAEL EARLEY: Maybe a little familiarity with the field, but other than that, I don't think so. LSU, I think is going to be a really good baseball team no matter when you play them. I like the fact that we've been on the field. We didn't get a practice out here because of the rain early on, so I do like that aspect of it, but when you're playing a team like that and the teams that are left in this tournament, it's just going to be about us versus them and no other element.

Q. What are your thoughts on the infraction rule that happened in the eighth inning? I understand that's an NCAA listing rule. What do you think about how somebody can't take somebody out at second, whether it's shortstop covering or second base? What was your opinion on that?

MICHAEL EARLEY: It was clear as day, letter of the law, that was the rule, and they made the correct call. I love good hard baseball within the rules, and the umpires 100 percent made the correct call.

Q. Obviously you've had your two weekend guys going. Moving forward do you see that happening again with Myles tomorrow or is that still being thought of right now?

MICHAEL EARLEY: I'd say it will most likely be Myles tomorrow for sure.