No. 5 Texas A&M softball opened the Texas A&M Invitational with a doubleheader on Thursday, Feb. 27, against Texas State and Princeton. 

An offensive outburst from the Aggies led to a 9-1 run-rule win over Texas State and a 5-0 shutout against Princeton, allowing them to finish 2-0 on the first day of the Texas A&M Invitational.

Game 1

Senior shortstop Koko Wooley made her return to the diamond after missing the last six games due to a lower leg injury. She played outstanding defense against the Bobcats, including an incredible hustle off of a bunt to throw out freshman right fielder Bailee Slack to end the inning.

The bats started swinging in the bottom of the third inning, which led to four A&M runs. A couple of singles from senior left fielder Kramer Eschete and Wooley set up junior third baseman Kennedy Powell for a double down the right field line, sending Eschete and Wooley home and putting the Aggies up 2-0. 

Sophomore first baseman Mya Perez drove in Powell to put the Maroon and White up by three, simultaneously achieving her 28th RBI of the season. Perez was named Southeastern Conference Player of the Week last week after posting three hits, two runs and three RBIs in the Aggies’ dominant 11-4 win over No. 8 Florida State.

Down by four, the Bobcats rallied with two outs, first with a single from senior LF Ciara Trahan before junior second baseman Sydney Harvey quieted Davis Diamond with a standup triple down the right field line. Harvey’s shot put the Bobcats on the board as they trailed 4-1.

The Bobcats got some offense going in the top of the fifth with back-to-back hits from freshman shortstop Erin Peterson and junior center fielder Keely Williams, putting runners on first and second with only one out. Junior designated player Aiyana Coleman walked on a full count, loading the bases for Texas State. However, the Aggies turned a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning and hold the Bobcats to one run.

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Leading off in the bottom of the fifth, freshman 2B KK Dement got the 12th Man back on its feet with an explosive 235-foot home run to left field, earning her fourth home run this season. The freshman has been a force for A&M with 18 hits, four home runs and 13 RBIs.

A pair of singles followed by a walk from freshman RF Frankie Vrazel, senior catcher Ojo Johnson and Eschete, respectively, loaded the bases for the Aggies heading into the top of the lineup with no outs. A vital throwing error from the Bobcats sent Vrazel to score, putting the Maroon and White within two runs of a run-rule win. Powell called game with a base hit to center field, sending Eschete and Johnson home to give A&M its first win of the night, 9-1.

Game 2

Sophomore RHP Sidne Peters started in the circle for the Aggies and had a dominant first inning, striking out the side on 16 pitches. The Aggies’ offense started early with a deep double from Powell, putting them in scoring position early. A throwing error from Princeton junior SS Julia Dumais allowed Powell to cross home plate and advance junior 2B Amari Harper. Dement carried her momentum over from Game 1 as she hit a deep ball over senior CF Lauren Sablone’s head, tallying two more RBIs as Harper and Perez easily headed home, giving them a 3-0 advantage over the Tigers.

Princeton earned its first hit in the top of the second thanks to a base hit from sophomore 3B Sonia Zhang. Peters quickly got back on track after striking out senior left fielder Allison Ha and forcing a deep pop-up fly out from sophomore 1B Allie Goodwin, ultimately leaving the Tigers scoreless through two.

Continuing the powerful at-bats, Powell led off the second inning with a base hit up the middle before stealing second base and putting herself within scoring distance. Two for two now at the plate, Harper sent Powell home for her second run of the game before Princeton looked at freshman RHP Keala Hollenkamp to settle down the Aggies at the plate.

Hollenkamp and the Tiger defense held the Maroon and White despite a single from junior DP Kylei Griffin and a deep double from Perez. Hollenkamp then retired senior CF Allie Enright, who has been incredible for the Aggies this year with 16 hits and three home runs.

The game hit a standstill starting in the top of the third inning, which lasted into the fifth, before Griffin came up huge with a double, giving A&M its first base runner since the second inning. Perez grew the lead with a nail down the right field line, sending Griffin home and extending the lead to five. 

“The coaches always believed in me, my teammates always believed in me, but I think I needed to have belief in myself,” Perez said. “So just gaining that confidence, and every time I step in the box, it really does help me perform.”

It looked like the Tigers had a shot to get on the board when junior RF Abby Hornberger doubled to left center field, giving Princeton its first base runner with two outs. Freshman outfielder Julieta Roa pinch ran for Hornberger, hoping to use her speed to give Princeton their first run of the evening. A hard-hit single from Zhang sent Roa rounding third base, yet the powerful arm of Enright was able to throw out Roa at the plate.

Peters and Co. completed the shutout with a quick top of the seventh inning, with a pop-up, groundout and another pop-up. The Washington transfer ended the evening with eight strikeouts and her first complete shutout of the season.

The Aggies will face George Washington on Friday, Feb. 28, at 7 p.m., streaming on ESPN+.