The No. 22 Texas A&M softball team will host the top team in the nation this weekend as the Florida Gators visit the Aggie Softball Complex for a three-game series. The Aggies are 34-14 (6-12 SEC) after they were swept on the road by the Missouri Tigers last weekend. The No. 1 Gators are now 45-3 (15-3 SEC) after a sweep of Mississippi State last weekend.
After a rough outing last weekend against Missouri, ace freshman pitcher Samantha Show had a nice rebound outing against Texas State on Wednesday. Show tossed five innings as she shut out Texas State while giving up just five hits and striking out 10, her highest total since the first game of the year.
Freshman outfielder Keeli Milligan broke the school record for steals in a season on Wednesday as she recorded her 49th and 50th steals in a 6-3 win over Texas State. Her 49th steal of the year eclipsed the previous record of 48 set by outfielder Sharonda McDonald in 2005. Milligan has lead the country in steals for most of the year and continues to do so as she picked up her 50th. Milligan has hit in the leadoff spot the whole year for Texas A&M and is hitting at a .379 clip.
The No. 1 Florida Gators are anchored by its pitching staff. The Gators’ Aleshia Ocasio, Delanie Gourley, and Kelly Barnhill have all totaled 92 or more innings this year. Ocasio leads the staff with the best earned run average in the country at 0.65, as she’s also added 110 strikeouts and just 20 walks. Gourley’s earned run average comes in to the series with the 4th-best ERA in the country at 0.68, as she’s struck out 157 batters in 113.2 innings. Both of Gourley’s strikeouts and innings pitched numbers lead the team. Barnhill brings a 1.29 ERA, 137 strikeouts and an undefeated 14-0 record to College Station.
The stout Florida pitching staff will be facing an Aggie offense that has been a little inconsistent all year, but has the talent to score against any pitching staff in the country. Sophomore first baseman Tori Vidales leads the team with a .407 batting average, adding 13 home runs and 48 RBIs. Sophomore shortstop Kristen Cuyos is hitting .320 on the year. Cuyos also leads the team with 50 RBIs and has also added 13 home runs on the year.
The series will begin on Friday at the Aggie Softball Complex. The first pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
