Following a 8-0 loss to Southeastern Louisiana on Friday, the Texas A&M softball team redeemed itself in day two of the Reveille Classic with a pair of wins over the Lions and Kansas.
In the bottom of the first against Southeastern Louisiana, the Aggies put themselves on the board with a homerun from sophomore designated player Makinzy Herzog. In the bottom of the second, junior third baseman Dani Elder hits a double, allowing senior center fielder Kelbi Fortenberry to score.
The Aggies did not relent, with junior second baseman Ashlynn Walls shooting a single, which allowed sophomore catcher Haley Lee to score in the bottom of the third. Also in the bottom of the third, Fortenberry hit a single and freshman leftfielder Jourdyn Campbell and sophomore outfielder Madi Jatzlau scored.
The Aggies were still not done, as a catching error by the Lions allowed Walls to run home and a single from Elder called for freshman outfielder Shaylee Ackerman to score. Lastly, Lee hit a double, causing Elder and Herzog to run home, making it 9-0.
The Aggies kept up their pace in the bottom of the fourth, with Ackerman shooting a double to allow Fortenberry to run home.
The Lions never answered, with the Aggies winning after the top of the fifth due to the run rule. The final score was 10-0, with Herzog being named the player of the game
“Again with the momentum, we’ve been working on that,” Herzog said. “We just had to keep our energy up in the dugout.”
Freshman pitcher Ashley Daugherty started out on the pitching mound against the Lions. She was traded out in the top of the first for sophomore Hannah Mayo. Daugherty walked two and had zero strikeouts, while Mayo walked one, had four strikeouts, and allowed eight hits.
The Aggies’ offensive power continued in their second game of the day against Kansas, as they also defeated the Jayhawks 7-6.
In the bottom of the first, Lee hit a triple which prompted Herzog and sophomore rightfielder Morgan Smith to score. Following this, senior first baseman Payton McBride posted a single, allowing Lee to run home.
The score remained 3-0 until the bottom of the third, when freshman shortstop Jourdyn Campbell notched a double, prompting Fortenberry to score. The Jayhawks finally answered in the top of the sixth, when senior rightfielder Sam Dellinge hit a homerun, and a double from sophomore first baseman Shelby Gayre allowed sophomore shortstop Sydnee Ramse to score.
Following this, a double from freshman infielder Madison Hirsch prompted freshman utility player Peyton Renzi to score. Lastly, a sacrifice fly from freshman third baseman Ashlyn Anderson allowed Hirsch to run home, tying the game at 4.
The Aggies answered in the bottom of the sixth with a run home from Elder off of a hit from Lee. After this, McBride shot a single which allowed for Herzog and Smith to score, making it 7-4 and prompting the Jayhawks to change pitchers.
In the top of the seventh, the Jayhawks tried to answer. Gayre hit a homerun with junior outfielder Brittany Jackson on base. However they could not score more past this, concluding the game 7-6.
Senior pitcher Kendall Potts started out in the pitching circle for the Aggies against Kansas. Potts played the entire game and had three strikeouts, one walk, and gave up six runs and 10 hits.
“I thought Kendall threw well, early on was really on a roll,” Evans said. “Kendall goes out and gets her outs.”
On Sunday, the Aggies will conclude the Reveille Classic with their final game against Kansas. The game is set to start at 10:30 a.m.