No. 3 Texas A&M softball defeated the No. 6 LSU Tigers for its second win of the series in a contested 9-7 battle in the Maroon Out game at Davis Diamond on Saturday, April 12. Taking victory in their 11th-straight game, the Aggies hope to sweep the Tigers in their final game of the series on Sunday.
Freshman right-handed pitcher Sydney Lessentine began the day in the circle for the Aggies with a 4-1 record this season. She let off a single right out the gate to LSU redshirt senior third baseman Danieca Coffey but turned her trust to her defense for the next two hitters. LSU junior center fielder Jalia Lassiter and junior catcher Maci Bergeron both hit pop-ups, and Lessentine rounded out the inning with her first strikeout of the game to LSU redshirt freshman first baseman Tori Edwards.
The Fightin’ Farmers’ offense had a show in the first inning against the Tigers. Up first for A&M was junior 3B Kennedy Powell whose hit by pitch landed her at first. She took advantage and stole second base without hesitation in the next two pitches. Junior second baseman Amari Harper, one of the Aggies’ hottest hitters with a .464 batting average, couldn’t get a touch of anything in the zone, striking out swinging.
Star hitter sophomore 1B Mya Perez had four hits in Friday’s game and has been on a hot streak for the Aggies. The Tigers, scared to let her have the opportunity to heat up, had freshman LHP Jayden Heavener dea her a ball on 3-1 count, walking her to first. Loading up the bases for the Maroon and White was senior designated player Mac Barbara, who was handed another walk after a full count.
Heavener struggled to find the strike zone, walking two more in a row and sending in two runs for the Aggies. Freshman right fielder Frankie Vrazel put the second out on the board for A&M with a pop-up to left field. Following with yet another walk from Heavener was senior catcher Olivia Johnson.
With bases loaded and senior left fielder Kramer Eschete up to the plate, the Brenham native took the opportunity from the Tigers and hit a double to left field, clearing the bases and putting up four more runs for the Maroon and White.
In just the first inning and with six runs on the board, LSU traded out their pitchers as A&M returned to the top of its lineup with Powell singling to left field off of senior pitcher Ashley Vallejo, turning in the last run for the Aggies in the first.
Up seven runs, Lessentine sent LSU back to the dugout in a simple 1-2-3 second inning.
The second inning was calm for A&M, with just one runner left on base and no runs scored. The Tigers instilled trust back in their pitching with Vallejo leaving no opportunity for the Aggies to run home.
LSU opened up their offensive gate in the third inning as Lessentine started to lose her rhythm. With a trade of pitchers for the Maroon and White, LSU put up five runs, closing the gap to 7-5 by the end of the third inning.
With freshman pitcher Kate Munnerlyn now throwing for A&M in the fourth, with just one hit and two swinging strikeouts, leaving one runner stranded for the Tigers.
The Aggies opened up their offensive tendencies in the fourth once again, as Barbara stepped up to the plate with two runners on. Down in the count, she sent a ball to left field, singling and driving in Harper. The Aggies widened the gap over LSU, leaving the fourth inning leading 8-5.
Star RHP Lessentine was back in the circle for the Aggies as she opened up the fifth inning. However, her struggle started to show with a walk handed to LSU junior CF Julia Lassiter and a single from Bergeron. Her control started to fall through with multiple wild pitches, leading to a run scored for the Tigers.
Senior pitcher Emiley Kennedy subbed in to hopefully put a damper on the Tigers’ offense. After her stellar outing in Friday’s game, pitching all seven innings, she came out of the bullpen with a strikeout. However, it wasn’t long before LSU turned it into a one-run game with a sacrifice fly, driving in freshman pinch runner Sa’Mya Jones Tiger to make it an 8-7 game.
Turning to the bottom of the 5th, the Aggies had no opportunity to score with a 1-2-3 inning from Tiger pitcher Vallejo.
Kennedy continued her campaign in the sixth, leaving two Tigers stranded on base and turning it to the Aggie offense.. Powell was hit by another pitch in the sixth, lighting a fire under the Fightin’ Farmers.
Turning in the ninth and final run for the Aggies in the bottom of the sixth was Barbara, as she reached second on a fielder’s choice. Not giving up on the play was Powell, as she reached third and scored on the throw to home.
“I thought KP was electric today,” coach Trisha Ford said. “That run for me was huge.”
Extending the lead @mac_softball31 | #GigEm pic.twitter.com/6qWinNAVGM
— Texas A&M Softball (@AggieSoftball) April 12, 2025
Kennedy, with a total of three innings pitched, closed out LSU with a 1-2-3 inning, securing the series win for the Aggies. With four hits and nine runs, the Aggies walked away with the win.
A&M hopes to take the series sweep and attain another Southeastern Conference win on their record in Sunday’s series finale against LSU at Davis Diamond.
