No. 19 Texas A&M softball continued the second game in its series against Mississippi State on Sunday, April 9, at Davis Diamond. A&M won the first matchup, a 9-1 run-rule victory.
The Aggies had a great defensive showing, allowing only four hits and one run along with five strikeouts, while the offense ended with four hits to defeat the Bulldogs 2-1.
In the first inning, the A&M offense started off with the bases loaded off a single to shortstop by freshman SS Koko Wooley and two batters walked by Bulldog senior RHP Matalasi Faapito. With the bases loaded, junior 3B Rylen Wiggins hit a line drive right to senior SS Madisyn Kennedy, who flipped the ball to freshman 2B Nadia Barbary to end the Aggies’ promising run.
Senior LHP Madison Preston responded by throwing two strikeouts and one groundout to send the Bulldogs back onto defense.
In the bottom of the second, the Bulldogs’ defense held the Fightin’ Farmers once more with a flyout to left field, a foul out and a groundout to second base.
The Bulldogs got their first hit and home run after Madison Preston struck out the first two batters and Barbary knocked the ball past left field for the first score of the game, up 1-0.
Bulldogs pitcher Faapito reached a quick three and out after striking out junior C Juila Cottrill, a flyout from junior 1B Trinity Cannon and a groundout by Wooley.
In the top of the fourth, sophomore LHP Emiley Kennedy struck out both Faapito and Madisyn Kennedy, stranding sophomore CF Saleyna Daniel on base after her single to left field.
In the bottom of the fifth, Faapito threw her fifth strikeout of the game, sending sophomore CF Allie Enright back to the dugout. Next, freshman 2B Amari Harper was walked before freshman LF Keely Williams singled through the left side, advancing all the way to third after two errors by the Bulldogs defense, allowing Harper to score and tie the game at 1-1.
The Bulldogs managed to escape the inning after throwing out Williams before she reached home plate and Cannon grounding out.
Kennedy once again struck out two Bulldog batters, Daniel and graduate C Jackie McKenna, to get the offense back to the dugout.
In the bottom of the sixth, Cottrill slammed a solo homer off Faapito’s pitch to put the Aggies in the lead, 2-1.
The Bulldogs looked to extend the game in the top of the seventh, but failed to do so after a
flyout, groundout and a strikeout from Kennedy.
Next, A&M softball faces Mississippi State for the third and final game of the series on Monday, April 10, at 6 p.m. at Davis Diamond.