No. 5 Texas A&M faced No. 13 Texas Tech on Saturday, Mar. 1 and due to the powerful arm of Red Raider junior right-handed pitcher NiJaree Canady, the Aggies came up short, 7-2.
Canady was outstanding in the circle, recording ten strikeouts and holding the home squad to only three hits, their lowest this season. The Maroon and White also had a season-high four errors, which allowed the Red Raiders to have offensive outbursts and extra base runners.
Tech got on an early roll, starting with a deep triple from junior center fielder Mihyia Davis, followed by a single from freshman shortstop Hailey Toney, putting the Raiders on the board first 1-0. Next, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette transfer redshirt sophomore Lauren Allred hit a shot to deep center field to record her fourth home run of the season.
Senior left-handed pitcher Emiley Kennedy got the start for the Aggies but struggled early, along with the defense, giving up two hits and a two-run home run. After giving up three runs, the Top-53 Player of the Year Watchlist nominee was able to retire senior second baseman Alexa Langeliers and junior designated player Katie Lott.
The Red Raiders started Canady, the 2024 USA Softball College Player of the Year during her time at Stanford. Due to an error in the bottom of the first, junior third baseman Kennedy Powell was able to reach first, giving A&M its first base runner of the evening. Senior catcher Olivia Johnson drove Powell home with a hard-hit ball to the second baseman, putting the Maroon and White on the board.
The Red Raiders continued to chip away, and the bases were soon loaded for Kennedy and this Aggie defense.
The Red and Black were able to add two more runs to their lead with a base hit and a double that sent Johnson’s eyes towards second while Toney stole home. Senior CF Allie Enright wasn’t going to let them get away with another run as she connected with Johnson to throw out Langeliers at the plate.
A couple of controversial hit-by-pitch calls off of sophomore first baseman Mya Perez and freshman right fielder Frankie Vrazel got the 12th Man vocal in the bottom of the second.
Vrazel advanced to first after an official review, giving the offense a chance to close in on the Red Raiders. Back-to-back strikeouts from Enright and senior left fielder Kramer Eschete sent the Aggies back to the top of the batting order to try and rally, yet they came up short, leaving two runners on base.
A&Ms got back on track in the top of the fourth with the first 1-2-3 inning, slowing down the Red Raiders’ powerful offense. The bats of the Aggies just couldn’t get going against Canady as they had two hits from Johnson and senior SS Koko Wooley through four.
The bottom of the fifth began to light up for the Maroon and White after Eschete nailed a ball to the shortstop, earning her way to first base. Wooley advanced Eschete to second off of a sacrifice bunt but despite her quick legs, the Red Raider defense was able to throw her out.
The two-out magic continued for the Aggies as graduate designated player Mac Barbara doubled to deep left center, sending Eschete home to give the Aggies their first run since the first inning.
Junior 1B Amari Harper entered the game at first base for Perez, and had an incredible hustle play down the left field line to get Toney out before throwing a dart to Powell for a double play.
Despite two back-to-back show-stopping defensive plays at third base from Powell, a hit down the left field line from sophomore 1B Raegan Jennings sent senior C Victoria Valdez up to the plate. Valdez drove a ball out to left field for her second home run of the season, putting the Red Raiders up 7-2.
The Aggies headed into the bottom of the seventh with the veteran part of the lineup due: Enright, Eschete and Wooley. Yet it wasn’t enough to pull off the comeback. The Maroon and White drop their second game of the season, going to 18-2 overall.
The Aggies head into day four of the Texas A&M Invitational 3-1, as they take on Idaho State at 11:30 a.m. and No. 13 Texas Tech at 2 p.m.
