Day two of the Aggie Classic at Davis Diamond showcased Texas A&M softball as it took on No. 19 Baylor in its first ranked matchup of the season on Friday, Feb. 7.
“The game always repays those who wait and are patient,” senior designated player Mac Barbara said.
A massive comeback five innings in the making helped send the Maroon and White over the Bears late in the bottom of the sixth inning. Junior third baseman Kennedy Powell and Barbara helped lead the charge as they combined for four RBIs in the squad’s 10-7 win in the Battle of the Brazos.
A startling start on offense helped define the Aggies’ success — or lack thereof — in the beginning of the game. The Maroon and White only scored one run throughout the first four innings, compared to Baylor’s six.
Starting off on the mound for A&M was a transfer pitcher from Washington, sophomore Sydnei Peters. In the top of the first, she gave up three straight base hits to load the bases, but the Santa Fe native struck out the next batter after calling a brief circle visit.
Despite the confidence boost, Peters would give up a run on the next at-bat due to an error by senior shortstop Koko Wooley, allowing senior second baseman Presleigh Pilon to score the first run of the game unearned.
Peters stopped the bleeding there, striking out junior outfielder Jensen Vienne for the third out while stranding the rest of the Bears’ runners.
A mental error from freshman 2B KK Dement led to a 2-0 Baylor lead after Pilon singled to center field and the second baseman held onto the ball for too long, leading to a steal and score by Bears’ junior center fielder Brooklyn Carter.
The offensive onslaught continued with a walk, followed by a double RBI hit past senior CF Allie Enright, leading to another two runs as the throw to senior catcher Olivia Johnson ended in an error.
The culmination of errors and defensive mistakes lead to Aggie Classic Day one pitcher, junior Grace Sparks, taking the reins and sending the Aggies out of the top of the second, down 5-0.
“For the pitchers, it was, ‘Hey, let’s take a breath here, let’s get back, we gotta hit our spots,” coach Trisha Ford said. “We gotta change speeds.”
The Ole Miss transfer brought the Maroon and White defense their first scoreless inning in the third after throwing a strikeout and back-to-back groundouts to third base.
A&M finally found an offensive spark in the top of the fourth when newcomer freshman right fielder Frankie Vrazel singled to short stop before being followed by a triple down the right foul line by senior left fielder Kramer Eschete, forcing Vrazel through home for the score.
“Both of [the freshmen] have come to the college game understanding what it takes and knowing how to compete every single day,” Ford said. “[Vrazel], truthfully, Amari [Harper] was starting there, and Amari has an injury, so Frankie is just waiting for her opportunity. When she got some opportunities out there, she did a heck of a job. The moment doesn’t get too big for her.”
A double play from Baylor’s defense would shut down the offensive production, pushing the score to 5-1 in the Bears’ favor.
Back to the regularly scheduled programming, Baylor’s offense showed no signs of slowing down in the top of the fourth, achieving another two base hits. Two questionable fielder’s choice decisions lead to the Bears’ getting their sixth run of the night after junior first base Abi Flores grounded out to second on a one run RBI hit.
The bats kept flying for the hitters from Waco as junior SS Amber Toven singled up the middle for a one-run RBI, pushing in senior third base Turiya Coleman for their seventh run.
Pitching woes were apparent to Ford as she took the moment to pull Sparks and replace her with senior P Emily Levitt in the circle.
Davis came alive in the bottom of the fifth, with bubbles from the home crowd flying everywhere after a triple to right field from Dement sent sophomore INF Haley Golden home for the Aggies’ second score of the night.
Another double center field bomb from the freshman Vrazel saw Dement skipping home for the score with the Aggies cutting the deficit down to 7-3. Vrazel cleaned up the bases with a steal for home after a wild pitch from senior P Dariana Orme.
The comeback push was finally a reality after Wooley kept up the hitting pace with a single through the right side, pushing Eschete to second after she was walked on the previous play.
With two Fightin’ Farmers already on base, sophomore 1B Mya Perez knew she needed a base hit, and the California native did exactly that when she put the ball through the left side for a single RBI with Wooley scoring the fifth run.
Now only down 5-7 with the Aggies’ comeback within reach, Ford turned to her ace-in-the-hole pitcher in senior Emiley Kennedy to keep it clean on the defensive side.
Kennedy showed her experience by finishing with zero earned runs and no hits in the final two innings.
Back on offense, the freshman duo of Dement and Vrazel found themselves on base after a walk and bunt. With a full-count on the board, Eschete was walked by Orme in a dangerous bases loaded situation for the Bears.
A sacrifice flyout RBI by Wooley would send Dement home for the sixth run of the Maroon and White’s night.
Davis Diamond lit up in cheers and bubbles following a two-run RBI double to center field, courtesy of Powell, which pushed the Aggies ahead by one, 8-7.
As if Barbara heard the screams of the 12th Man, the transfer from SDSU sent the next pitch soaring out of the stadium for the double-run homer, pushing the score to 10-7.
“I think the 12th Man kind of helped us out, bring the energy back up,” Barbara said. “Honestly, it was a little dead for a minute. But you know, our fans and the people that are supporting us, no matter what win or loss, they’re here to hype us up. And they just did just that, and we followed.”
In her last chance on the mound, Kennedy cleaned up the Bears’ chances after a pair of batters flew out.
A&M resumes the Aggie Classic in Davis Diamond on Saturday, Feb. 8, when it takes on Abilene Christian and later Villanova in the double-header series.
