No. 21 Texas A&M kicked off its series against South Carolina on Friday, April 14, at Carolina Softball Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina. A&M won its last matchup at home against No. 25 Louisiana, 4-2, on Wednesday.
The Aggies started off hot on offense but quickly cooled off after scoring their only two runs of the game in the first inning. The Gamecocks took Game 1 in an offensive showing that saw them produce six runs off of seven hits.
In the first inning, junior C Julia Cottrill started off the bats for A&M with a single before junior 1B Trinity Canon sent the ball flying past the fence for her seventh home run of the season, bringing both batters home and making the score 2-0, A&M.
Back on defense, sophomore LHP Emily Leavitt started off the game by walking the first two batters before junior CF Riley Blampied bunted to reach first, loading the bases for the Gamecocks.
Junior DP Aniyah Black hit a double to right field, emptying the bases and making the score 3-2, South Carolina.
After Leavitt notched her first strikeout and a groundout, Black scored on a wild pitch that also walked sophomore LF Marissa Gonzales. The first inning came to a close after a flyout to left field with the Gamecocks up 4-2.
In the top of the second, senior P Karsen Ochs entered the circle to throw three straight groundouts to send the Aggies back to the field.
Junior RF Jen Cummings kept the bats alive for the Gamecocks with a double to right field and then was brought home for the score by sophomore SS Brooke Blankenship’s RBI.
Leavitt ended the onslaught with her third strikeout of the game, stranding Blankenship on base. The third inning ended with the Gamecocks on top, 5-2.
In the bottom of the fourth, another Gamecock score came after a solo shot by sophomore 2B Emma Sellers. After a single up the middle by junior 3B Zoe Laneaux and a flyout to left field by Blampied, the inning ended 6-2.
The bats were silent once more on the Aggies’ side after two flyouts and a strikeout from Gamecock senior reliever Donnie Gobourne.
Back on the defensive side, a pitching change brought in junior P Grace Uribe, who struck out Black and then induced a groundout and flyout to silence the Gamecocks in the bottom of the fifth.
Gobourne returned to the circle, hitting Cannon before walking senior RF Morgan Smith. Junior 3B Rylen Wiggins loaded the bases on a single to the left side.
However, the Gamecocks shut down the promising Aggie situation after Uribe grounded out at second, the score still 6-2 Gamecocks.
A&M looked for a comeback in the seventh inning, starting with a single from junior LF Bre Warren. However, Gobourne had other plans, as a strikeout from freshman 2B Amari Harper and a flyout by Cottrill would end the game for the Aggies, falling 6-2.
Next, A&M softball faces South Carolina in the second matchup of the series on Saturday, April 15, at 1 p.m. at Carolina Softball Stadium.