On Sunday, May 8, Texas A&M softball hosted No. 5 Arkansas for the series-deciding game in the weekend series. After falling behind early, the Aggies were unable to complete a late comeback.
The Razorbacks came out firing on all cylinders. Home runs by sophomore utility player Hannah Gammill and freshman infielder Spencer Prigge propelled Arkansas to a 5-0 lead in the top of the second inning.
The Aggies wasted no time getting back into the game. In the bottom of the second inning, freshman Koko Wooley cruised home off of a single by freshman infielder Cayden Baker to bring the score to 5-1.
After a scoreless third inning, the Aggies continued to chip away at the Razorbacks’ lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. Sophomore infielder Trinity Cannon, sophomore outfielder Grace Uribe and Wooley found their way home to make the score 5-4.
Despite A&M’s promising rebuttal, Arkansas shut the door in the fifth inning with a pair of home runs by senior infielder Danielle Gibson and senior outfielder Linnie Malkin. A lone run by A&M senior outfielder Morgan Smith made the score prettier, but the Razorbacks held on for the 9-5 victory.
Following the loss, A&M head coach Jo Evans complimented the Razorbacks and commended the maroon and white for keeping the series interesting.
“Arkansas is a hell of a ball club,” Evans said. “We came in facing the No. 5 team, the SEC champion, and I thought we fought hard. I thought we competed great, actually. They’re a really good ball club and by far the best hitting ball club in the conference. Friday night, I thought we did a really nice job taking advantage of opportunities, holding them back and fighting hard for that win.”
The loss closes the door on a regular season that saw highs and lows for the Aggies. Since clinching a series victory over No. 2 Alabama, the team has been on a 2-8 skid to close out the campaign.
Smith said she is confident that transitioning to the postseason will provide a necessary change of scenery for the Aggies.
“We just need to get our feet back on the ground, which comes from rest and a little bit of practice,” Smith said. “We need to take a step back and get ready for the upcoming SEC Tournament. I have a ton of confidence in these girls going into the postseason.”
The Aggies will kick off the SEC Tournament against the South Carolina Gamecocks in Gainesville, Fla., on Tuesday, May 10. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.