The No. 7 Texas A&M softball team took on the Prairie View A&M Panthers on Wednesday night at the Aggie Softball Complex and run-ruled the Panthers in five innings 15-0. With the win, the Aggies improve to 26-2 (5-1 SEC) and the Panthers fall to 8-17 (3-0 SWAC).
“I wanted our team to come out and take care of business,” head coach Jo Evans said. “I didn’t want any messing around, I didn’t want us to underestimate our opponent, respect the game and I told them I expected this to be business-like. I still wanted them to have fun with nobody letting their guard down.”
The Aggies started strong, putting up four runs on four hits in the first inning and never looked back. A&M then put up another four in the second on three hits, two in the third on a Reagan Boenker home run, and five more for extra measure in the fifth.
The Aggies were led in the circle by junior Trinity Harrington and freshman Payton McBride. Harrington tossed three perfect innings with four strikeouts, and McBride threw two innings, giving up just one hit and striking out two. At the plate, the Aggies were led by junior shortstop Kristen Cuyos, sophomore second baseman Kaitlyn Alderink and Boenker. Cuyos went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored, while Alderink went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and Boenker went 1-for-1 with a two-run home run and two runs scored.
“I was really pleased with our pitching,” Evans said. “We only threw 50 pitches on the night. Five innings and 50 pitches, you can’t ask for more than that, it was a really solid outing by [Harrington and McBride], they got ahead, they threw strikes, and they went right at hitters. That’s what you want them to do in a game like this.”
Prairie View A&M was led by senior right fielder Briana Knowles and freshman Kellady Johnson. Knowles had the Panthers’ only hit of the night and Johnson was the only pitcher the Aggies couldn’t hit all as she held A&M scoreless in two-thirds of an inning.
The Aggies will be back in action this weekend as they take on the Missouri Tigers at the Aggie Softball Complex. Game one of the series will start at 6:30 p.m.
