No. 19 Texas A&M softball opened up its series against the Mississippi State Bulldogs on Saturday, April 8, after taking Good Friday off. This Easter weekend series was the first test for the Aggies since their tough series loss to the SEC leading No. 5 Tennessee Volunteers.
The Aggies wasted no time at all getting on the scoreboard. After a three up, three down inning for the Bulldogs, the Aggies got hits from their first four batters. Freshman LF Keely Williams was batted in by Junior 1B Trinity Cannon, who got on via a fielder’s choice. Cannon was then batted in by a sacrifice fly from freshman DP Aiyana Coleman. The Aggies got out of the first inning up 2-0.
The Aggies struck again in the bottom of the third inning. Once again, this came as the result of multiple players making plays on offense. Sophomore SS Koko Wooley got on base with a fielder’s choice, then stole second to get into scoring position. It was junior C Julia Cottrill who got the RBI, singling through the left side. This put the Aggies up 3-0.
The Bulldogs were kept in check, unable to respond. This was largely due to impressive pitching by sophomore RHP Emily Leavitt, who didn’t allow a hit until the fourth inning. Her final statline on the day was two hits and two strikeouts in her 4.2 innings.
It was in the fifth that the Bulldogs were able to score for the first time in a sequence that got Leavitt replaced. Bulldog freshman 3B Macy Graf got the hit that started this miniature rally, with awild pitch followed by an error allowed her to score. This would be the only Bulldog run of the night and it made the score 4-1.
The Aggies were able to respond, though, and add another run for insurance in the bottom of that inning. Cottrill got her second hit of the day, and Coleman sent a ball into right center that drove in the run.
Senior RHP Shaylee Ackerman got the opportunity for a save when she came in to pitch late in the game. She maintained control over the Bulldogs in the top of the sixth, despite giving up a hit and walking one batter.
Junior RF Bre Warren got a single to start the inning for the Aggies. She got into scoring position with a wild pitch that followed. Sophomore CF Allie Enright got a single of her own, moving Warren to third base, and then stole second. With two runners in scoring position, it was a hit from freshman 2B Amari Harper that resulted in both of them scoring.
With the Aggies up 7-1, run ruling the Bulldogs became a real possibility. After a sacrifice fly advanced Harper to third, a Wooley single brought her in as the eighth run of the day. Next, a wild pitch got Wooley all the way to third base herself. What resulted was a walk-off sacrifice fly from Cannont, making the score 9-1 and completing th run rule.
With the Aggies getting the first win of the series in dominating fashion, it gives them some momentum for when they take on the Bulldogs again on April 9. The Easter Sunday game will take place at 2 p.m. From there, they have one remaining game against Mississippi State before they play Louisiana on Wednesday, April 12.