The No. 21 Texas A&M softball team bounced back from the Sunday, March 28, loss at Kentucky with a 3-2 win over Lamar on Tuesday, March 28, at Davis Diamond in College Station.
The Aggies struggled offensively with runners in scoring position, leaving six runners on base throughout the game. The pitching and defense held strong by only allowing two runs off of six hits, one walk, 11 strikeouts and not having an error in the game.
In the first, the Cardinals quickly hit back-to-back singles to start the game. Senior LHP Madison Preston then struck out the next two batters and forced a groundout to sophomore SS Koko Wooley to end the top half of the inning.
After a one-out walk by senior RF Morgan Smith and a single by junior C Julia Cottrill, junior 1B Trinity Cannon grounded out to advance Cottrill and Smith to second and third. A groundout straight to the pitcher by Wooley ended the inning with the Aggies leaving two runners in scoring position.
In the bottom of the second with one out, junior 3B Rylen Wiggins singled on a bunt, stole second and advanced to third on a wild throw on the throwdown. Wiggins was left stranded on third to close the inning after a strikeout and a lineout.
In the top of the third, after Preston walked the leadoff batter, she was replaced by sophomore LHP Emiley Kennedy. Preston ended the day allowing four hits, walking one and striking out four Cardinals. Kennedy made quick work of the next three Cardinals to end the inning.
Freshman LF Keely Williams singled to open the bottom half of the inning. After a wild pitch and a bad throw to second, Williams advanced to third base with no outs. Smith was hit by a pitch and was thrown out stealing second, but that allowed Williams to score from third. The inning ended with a score of 1-0 in favor of the Aggies.
The score remained the same until the top of the fifth. The Cardinals took a 2-1 lead off of two solo home runs from senior 3B Sam Bean and junior PH Mikaila Kenney.
“One of the balls they hit hard was a good pitch,” coach Trisha Ford said. “Sometimes when you’re throwing 70, that’s going to happen.”
In the top of the sixth, Kennedy was relieved by sophomore RHP Emily Leavitt. Leavitt got the next two Cardinals to fly out and then struck out the last batter to close the top half of the inning.
The maroon and white picked up a much needed run to tie the game and were very close to taking the lead in the bottom of the sixth. Cottrill opened it up with a leadoff double and crossed the plate after Wooley hit a single past the shortstop. Freshman designated player Aiyana Coleman singled into right field, advancing Wooley to third base with one out.
Wooley would be thrown out at home plate after a bunt by Wiggins. Junior PH Grace Uribe was then hit by a pitch to make the bases loaded with two outs. The Aggies would leave the bases loaded to close the inning after freshman 2B Amari Harper hit a line drive that was caught by the Cardinals’ third baseman.
Lamar had a good chance to retake the lead in the top of the seventh. The Cardinals’ leadoff batter was hit by a pitch and after a sacrifice bunt, they had a runner in scoring position with one out. Leavitt struck out the next batter on three straight strikes and got the last batter to look at a strike three to head into the bottom of the seventh tied 2-2.
As the leadoff batter going into the game, Williams led off the bottom of the seventh with a hit into left/center field that resulted in a double.
“I feel comfortable in [the leadoff spot],” Williams said. “I’ve been doing it quite often in certain different levels of softball.”
Smith then advanced Williams into third with a sacrifice bunt. After Cottrill was intentionally walked, Cannon stepped up big with a hit down the left foul line that landed fair to walk off a 3-2 Aggie win.
“I wouldn’t have been in that situation in the first place if Keely didn’t start off with a double,” Cannon said. “We just had to scrap that one out as a team and not play anyone too lightly during midweeks.”
The Aggies continue midweek play Wednesday, March 29, against Incarnate Word at Davis Diamond. The first pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. with A&M looking for their 21st win of the season.
