In the first eight games of the season, the Aggies have made it look easy.
On Friday, Feb. 18, Texas A&M softball competed in a double header against Kansas and Missouri State. In their third double header of the season, the Aggies took care of business, earning 9-1 and 4-1 victories heading into the weekend.
The action started against A&M’s former Big 12 rival Kansas. The Aggies scored in the bottom of the first inning, when sophomore infielder Trinity Cannon found a gap in left center field for a double, bringing home junior utility player Shaylee Ackerman, senior outfielder Morgan Smith and senior pitcher Makinzy Herzog to tally an early 3-0 lead. Cannon was later brought home by a double from sophomore infielder Rylen Wigginis to extend the lead to four.
In the top of the second inning, Kansas responded when senior infielder Cheyenne Hornbuckle scored off an error to bring the Jayhawks within three runs.
A&M wasted no time responding, adding to its lead in the bottom of the second inning when a single by Smith brought home senior catcher Haley Lee. Later in the inning, Wiggins smacked a one-run homer into left field to make the score 6-1. The maroon and white added two more runs when freshman infielder Koko Wooley scored in the fourth and sixth innings. The Aggies held off the Jayhawks to seal the 9-1 victory.
While the Aggies showed out on offense — with both Wooley and Herzog scoring two runs — the maroon and white also showed out on defense. Herzog pitched all six innings, earning the second no-hitter of her career. Following her performance, she said she had to avoid being fazed by the pressure in the later innings when a no hitter looked possible.
“It felt awesome,” Herzog said. “I kind of just had to not think about it, because when you think about it, that’s when they usually end up getting a hit.”
In the second game of the day, the Aggies hosted Missouri State.
In the top of the first inning, the Lady Bears drew first blood when senior utility player Daphne Plummer put Missouri State on the board with a run on a wild pitch. The lead would be short-lived as A&M’s Lee responded in the bottom of the first inning to tie the score at one.
In the bottom of the third inning, a double from Wiggins brought home Smith to make the score 2-1. In the fourth inning, a home run by sophomore outfielder Mayce Allen extended A&M’s lead to 3-1. Wolley added a run in the sixth inning to bring the tally to a final 4-1.
In the second game, freshman pitcher Emiley Kennedy earned her fourth win of the season, allowing four hits and one run in 7.0 innings. It was just the second time the Woodlands native pitched an entire outing.
Following the double header, A&M coach Jo Evans said she was impressed by the performances from both of her pitchers throughout the afternoon.
“Our pitching was great today,” Evans said. “You look at Makinzy Herzog and what she did in the circle in Game 1, throwing a no-hitter, and having complete control the entire game and not getting hit hard at all and our defense took care of business. Emiley Kennedy went out there in the second game and settled in after the first inning and just made short work of the game.”
Next up, the Aggies will take on Stephen F. Austin and Pitt in a double header on Saturday, Feb. 19. The first pitch against SFA is slated for 2 p.m.