No. 21 Texas A&M softball began its second of three matchups against No. 3 Tennessee on Saturday, April 1, at Davis Diamond in College Station. A&M fell to the Volunteers in a close nailbiter on Friday, 2-1, in a heavily-defensive game that pushed to last 10 innings.
The Aggies provided a well-rounded home performance that was enough to defeat No. 3 Tennessee, 3-1. The pitching for A&M was the highlight of the game, as senior LHP Madison Preston only allowed two hits throughout her time in the circle.
To start the game, Preston first pitched a groundout at first and then struckout the next batter.
Preston then walked sophomore 2B Lair Beautae, but threw another groundout hit to third that was quickly delivered to first, ending the top of the inning.
Junior C Juila Cottrill started off the Aggies first at bat with a single to right field, then Volunteers’ freshman RHP Karlyn Pickens struck out two Aggies.
Meanwhile, Cottrill stole her way to home plate, earning the first score of the game before Pickens could end the inning, 1-0, A&M on top.
The Aggies stayed on top defensively in the next inning with a strikeout, a defensive stop by junior 3B Rylen Wiggins and a flyout to right field.
The Fightin’ Farmers also left the top of the inning stranding two batters on base, the game still 1-0, A&M.
Pickens continued to be a driving force for Tenneesse’s defensive, striking out two more Aggies and throwing a flyout in left field to end the inning.
Preston responded to the defensive stand by striking out all three Volunteer batters, including Beautae, senior CF Kiki Milloy and senior SS Mackenzie Donihoo.
In the bottom of the third, bats were flying for the Aggies.
The first by freshman 2B Amari Harper for a single, and the second came from freshman LF Keely Williams for a triple, which brought Harper home for A&M’s second score of the game.
To start the fifth inning, the Aggies picked up two quick defensive ground outs to first and then Preston cleaned out the rest of the box, striking out sophomore RF Katie Taylor. In the bottom of the fifth, Aggie batters sophomore CF Allie Enright and Harper both hit singles to the left side.
However, both ended up stranded on base after Williams and junior 1B Trinity Cannon fouled out to end the fifth inning with A&M up, 2-0.
Preston continued to show her dominance in the circle at the top of the sixth, striking out two more Tennessee batters and a flyout by Beautae. She ended the game with eight strikeouts in six innings played and was replaced by sophomore RHP Emily Leavitt.
Tennessee freshman RHP Charli Orsini was brought out the dugout next for the Vols, striking out her first batter of the day, freshman DP Aiyana Coleman.
However, Wiggins was walked by Orsini and over the course of the next two batters, she managed to steal second and then was pushed home with a single by sophomore SS Koko Wooley, making the score 3-0.
In the top of the seventh inning, the Volunteers made their last stand, managing to load the bases after two batters were hit by pitch.
Then, freshman OF Jamison Brockenbrough hit an RBI which pushed in freshman OF Brylie Mesusan to score for Tennessee.
This wasn’t enough to send the game into extra innings as third baseman Rylen Wiggins came in big with a defensive stop for the final out of the game.
“We came out and we’re focused today,” Coach Trisha Ford said following the victory. “It was Madison Preston’s day. She pitched a gem, that’s what she’s capable of doing. Really what I was happy about was that we came out and played how we’re capable of playing. We just have to do it consistently, that was a huge win for us.”
Next A&M softball faces Tennessee for the third and final time of the weekend series on Sunday, April 2, at 1 p.m. at Davis Diamond in College Station.