Texas A&M baseball is facing an uphill battle this weekend. After dropping Game 1 of their series against Ole Miss, the No. 7 Aggies (36-11, 15-9 SEC) learned that freshman shortstop Boston Kellner suffered a broken orbital bone after being hit by a pitch above the eye during Friday night's contest, per the SEC Network + broadcast.

The injury came on a fastball that caught Kellner just above the eye, but there is some good news: the freshman reportedly avoided both a concussion and any damage to his eye. Still, with just one regular-season series remaining against Mississippi State before the SEC Tournament, his return timeline remains unclear.

Kellner joins fellow freshman infielder Nico Partida on the sidelines. Partida has been sidelined since last weekend after straining his hamstring against Auburn, and his absence has been felt—the infielder was slashing .317/.415/.585 with 12 home runs this season. Without him, the Aggies have dropped three straight games.

Thankfully, head coach Mike Earley built depth this offseason. Infielder Ben Royo stepped up in Saturday's doubleheader opener, recording his first career hit—a home run—and is expected to continue starting at shortstop in Kellner's place. Blake Binderup is also available as a reserve option.

With injuries piling up and the postseason looming, Texas A&M will need every bit of that depth to keep their SEC title hopes alive. For now, the Aggies are focused on salvaging a win in Oxford before heading back to College Station.