Texas A&M softball has been dominant this preseason, posing a 20-2 record heading into Southeastern Conference play. The Aggies have climbed to No. 4 in the most recent AP poll, the program’s highest ranking in 17 years.
“Well, they don’t call us the Fightin’ Texas Aggies for nothing,” graduate designated player Mac Barbara said following an epic comeback against No. 19 Baylor earlier this season.
Offensive outbursts
A&M has been phenomenal on offense this season, putting up 190 hits and 19 home runs in its first 22 games. The leader of the pack is no other than sophomore first baseman Mya Perez who leads the Maroon and White in hits and RBIs, 26 and 31 respectively. Perez earned her first SEC Player of the Week honor after her powerful performance at the JoAnne Graf Classic, posting nine hits, four runs, three home runs and 11 RBIs.
Another Aggie that can’t go unrecognized is freshman second-baseman and shortstop KK Dement, who has been powerful at the plate. The newcomer has been a two-out force, drawing in 20 RBIs and 22 hits. In the 12-0 win over George Washington, Dement sent one deep for her first collegiate grand slam, proving herself to her teammates and the program.
Defensive dominance
You can’t talk about A&M’s defense without recognizing senior left fielder Kramer Eschete and her hustle to each ball. In the first game this season against Utah State, Eschete made a never-before-seen defensive play to record an out for the Aggies.
“It was big time. I mean, that’s why she’s there, though,” coach Trisha Ford said. “I mean, she made how many plays for us last year and she just continues to make big plays for us defensively and offensively.”
Another dynamic defensive player is senior center fielder Allie Enright. She boasts an impressive offensive resume with 18 hits, four home runs and 14 RBIs, but her defensive game is also next level. Enright has thrown two people out at home so far this season with dime throws to senior catcher Olivia Johnson.
SEC Play
With conference play starting Friday, March 7, the Aggies have to carry over their non-conference momentum to be successful against a gauntlet of some of the best teams in the nation. Not only will this game be a nail-biter, but it will also be the first top-5 matchup at Davis Diamond in program history.
The Maroon and White start their difficult trek with No. 3 Florida, who has only dropped one game all season against then-No. 14 Duke. The Gators boast one of the most dynamic offenses in the nation, leading the conference in batting average and home runs.
“Excited to have Florida come into town,” Ford said. “They’re obviously a really good team, as are we, so we are ready to rumble.”
A&M will flip between hosting and visiting through the season to keep things interesting. The rest of the home conference games are against Alabama, LSU and Arkansas. All three of these teams are currently ranked in the AP Top 25 poll, leaving each game up for grabs.
LSU is ranked No. 5 after having an incredible start to the season, led by redshirt senior third baseman Danieca Coffey, who suffered a season-ending injury last year. Coffey ended the 2024 season with a .404 batting average, ranking No. 2 in the SEC. She hasn’t slowed down as she is currently batting .500 on the season with 26 hits, leading the Tigers.
The Aggies will visit Auburn, Georgia, Missouri and Tennessee — all ranked teams with the exception of Mizzou. Tennessee’s road test will be a big one for A&M as it will be its last regular season game before the SEC tournament. The Volunteers currently lead the all-time series 22-6, making it easy to count out the Aggies.
“We’ve been tested,” Ford said. “… Overall, we’ve played really good defense, so I know if you can pitch and you can play defense, you can win any game.”
