No. 24 Texas A&M softball continued the third game in the series against No. 14 Kentucky on Sunday, March 26, at John Cropp Stadium in Lexington, Kentucky. A&M leads the series 2-0 after previously beating the Wildcats in a double-header, 14-13 and 10-0 on Saturday.
The Aggies struggled on both sides of the ball, managing only two runs off of four total hits, with four total errors defensively. The performance was not enough for an Aggie victory, and ended in a run-rule win for the Kentucky Wildcats.
In the first inning, Kentucky got off to a quick start at bat with a single by senior C Kayla Kowalik who advanced to second off a pitching error by senior RHP Shaylee Ackerman.
Junior LF Vanesa Nesby then hit a bunt to reach second base off another defensive error by the Aggies.
Ackerman then walked junior SS Erin Coffel to set the bases loaded for senior RF Rylea Smith, who singled on another defensive error to push in Kowalik for the first score of the game.
After Smith stole second base, another fielding error resulted in Nesby scoring on a passed ball, making the score 2-0. Ackerman walked junior 3B Grace Lorsung after the score, causing coach Trisha Ford to make a visit to the mound.
Ackerman was then substituted for junior LHP Grace Uribe to help the Aggies escape a dangerous first inning.
The Kentucky bats continued to keep Uribe and the rest of the A&M defense on their toes after a single through right field by junior 1B Meeko Harrison, caused another defensive error for the Aggies that allowed Smith and Coffel to score.
Freshman DH Karissa Hamilton then hit a single RBI to left field, allowing Harrison to advance to third and Lorsung to score.
The Aggies found themselves in more trouble when sophomore CF Taylor Ebbs sent one flying over the centerfield fence to push in Hamilton and Harrison, tallying three more runs for the Wildcats.
Trying to switch things up defensively, A&M had another pitching change with sophomore pitcher Emily Kennedy relieving Uribe after the homerun.
Kennedy managed to stop the offensive onslaught by Kentucky after a groundout, flyout and strikeout, which ended the first inning 8-0, Kentucky on top.
The next two innings featured no hits from either team’s dugout, until the top of the fourth when junior 1B Trinity Cannon singled through the left side to get to first base.
Sophomore SS Koko Wooley then hit a bunt to reach first, pushing senior Star Ferguson, who pinch ran for Cannon, to second base.
After freshman RF Riley Valentine was struck out by junior Wildcat RHP Stephanie Schoonover, A&M’s at bat ended with Ferguson out at third base.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Wildcats rallied again with two singles towards third base coming from Nesby and then Smith.
Lorsung then followed up with a triple down the right field line to push in the two runners on base to score, Kentucky up 10-0 at the end of the fourth.
To avoid a run-rule situation, the Aggies went up to bat desperately needing a response in the top of the fifth.
After getting walked by Schoonover, freshman LF Keely Williams reached first and then was brought home by junior RF Juila Cottrill with a two run home run shot, making the score now 10-2.
Unfortunately, the runs were not enough to stop the run rule, and the Aggies fell to the Wildcats 10-2 in the fifth inning.
“We just have to grow up,” coach Trisha Ford said after the loss. “That first inning killed us, we can’t keep putting ourselves in that hole. At the end of the day it comes down to us being ready to go from the very first pitch. We had four errors that inning, two others that didn’t go in the books and we’re not crisp pitching wise. We’ve got to get better in that area or else we’re going to be up and down.”
Next for A&M softball is a home matchup against Lamar on Tuesday, March 28, at 5 p.m. at Davis Diamond in College Station.