In an afternoon game rife with anticipation, No. 4 Texas A&M softball fell 4-2 in its third matchup against No. 3 Florida, ending Game 3 of the Aggies’ Southeastern Conference opener in disappointment after a 3-2 victory just two days prior.
It was close until the end, a revival of the stardom that the Aggies had missed the day prior in their 12-4 loss. No runs graced either team in the first inning — then, junior catcher Jocelyn Erickson kicked the top of the second off with a home run, only for senior C Olivia Johnson to follow suit with a homer of her own in the bottom of the inning, her bat sending freshman second baseman KK Dement into her teammates’ arms, screaming.
The third went by in minutes with A&M in control. Florida’s freshman right fielder Taylor Shumaker, senior left fielder Korbe Otis and Erickson all returned to the dugout with nothing to add to the scoreboard. With Florida in control, the third ended with senior center fielder Allie Enright striking out.
In the top of the fourth, following player after player who could not make it to home plate, senior CF Kendra Falby sent junior third baseman Kenleigh Cahalan to the end. Then just moments later, Dement began the bottom of the fourth with a home run, sending herself sprinting around the basepath to tie things up at two.
A crowd inflamed would be an understatement to describe the audience filling Davis Diamond during the series. The Aggies pushed past a scraping stalemate on Friday to barely take the first matchup on Friday, only for pitching errors the day after to cause an eight-run loss to the Gators. Sunday’s matchup meant everything for both teams: pride, a showcase of skill, redemption and resolve.
So when neither team could forge ahead in the fifth inning, the tension only grew. Gators struck out almost instantly — Aggies fouled until the sun went down. No runs. No errors. No hits.
Only in the top of the sixth did sophomore 2B Mia Williams breach the unbreakable barrier. A homerun to center field as an outfielder Aggie jumped as high as she could to catch a ball too far from her grasp.
The quick answers already would have one believe that any Fightin’ Farmer would score arun soon after. But none did. Florida controlled the field as sophomore first baseman Mya Perez stepped up to the plate — then into the dugout. Enright and Dement would see a conclusion no different, barreling the game into the top of the seventh and giving A&M a last chance to equalize.
Intensity. A raging passion to repeat Williams’ earlier revolution. Both teams held eyes on nothing but the ball. Falby grounded out. Shumaker walked. Erickson walked.
Then, bat met ball in the top of the seventh — senior 1B Reagan Walsh drove Shumaker home for the game’s final run with a sacrifice fly to bring the game to 4-2. A&M’s attempt to rally with their backs to the wall in the bottom of the seventh fell short, as the visiting Gators took the series over the Aggies.
Next, A&M heads to Alabama to take on No. 17 Auburn on Friday, March 14.
