No. 21 Texas A&M softball continued the third matchup in the series against No. 17 Georgia on Sunday, March 19, at Davis Diamond in College Station. A&M lost to Georgia in the previous two matchups, 7-5 and 6-5.
The Aggies struggled on both sides of the ball, managing only one hit throughout the game and allowing eight runs. A&M was run-ruled at the end of the sixth inning, losing the series finale against Georgia, 8-0.
In the first inning, the Bulldogs started off slow at bat with a strikeout by senior pitcher Shaylee Ackerman and two groundouts by Bulldogs’ senior third baseman Sara Mosley and senior designated hitter Jaiden Fields.
In the top of the second, junior first baseman Sydney Chambley singled off a bunt hit, then senior second baseman Sydney Kuma hit a single to left field to allow Chambley to advance to second base.
Freshman left fielder Jaydyn Goodwin sent one flying past the right center fence to push all of Georgia’s runners on base through home plate. Starting off the score, 3-0 in the second inning.
In the top of the fourth inning, the Aggie defense held on strong despite being down by three runs.
After two groundouts by Bulldog sophomore catcher Lyndi Davis and Chambley, and a flyout by Kuma, junior pitcher Grace Uribe managed to escape the inning with no hits.
In the top of the fifth, the Bulldogs capitalized on an RBI single by Mosley to push sophomore center fielder Dallis Goodnight through home plate, making it 4-0 in the top of the fifth.
Georgia struck again in the top of the sixth, with a solo home run by Fields over the top of the right field wall. Sophomore pitcher Emily Leavitt relieved Uribe after the score, but it wasn’t enough to stop the offensive push by Georgia.
The Bulldogs went on a hitting streak with Davis hitting the first double and Chambley hitting another right after, to push in the pinch hitter junior Hayley Eaton to score in place of Davis.
Kuma then found second base due to an error by the Aggie freshman right fielder Riley Valentine, which set up Goodwin’s RBI double to left field, to push in Kuma and Chambley through home plate.
After Georgia’s offensive onslaught, Valentine took matters into her own hands, throwing three straight strikeouts to end the top of the sixth, 8-0.
The Aggies failed to score in the bottom of the sixth, which resulted in the game ending due to the run rule.
Next for A&M softball is another home matchup against Louisiana Tech on Wednesday, March 22, at 6 p.m. at Davis Diamond in College Station.