Junior LHP Emiley Kennedy is here to prove that A&M may have the best bullpen in the SEC.
After a tough-fought loss to Kansas at the Aggie Classic last weekend and an overtime thriller against UTSA, Texas A&M softball hit the road once more. This time, the Aggies headed to the Judi Garman Classic in Fullerton, California and coasted past the Wolverines, 6-0 in their opening game on Thursday, Feb. 29.
The Wolverines only amassed two hits through seven innings, while giving up six unanswered to the Aggies in their sixth loss on the year.
Kennedy began her day in the circle with two strikeouts, only giving up one hit to the Wolverines in the first inning.
“I just wanted to start the weekend off strong and stay on a roll,” Kennedy said. “This is a good game to start off on, we have great opponents this weekend so [we] just need to keep bringing it game-to-game.”
Multiple Aggies warmed up their bats right off the gate, starting with sophomore LF Keely Williams hitting a single to center field. Senior 1B Trinity Cannon continued the momentum and her four-game hitting streak with an RBI double to the bottom of the right-center fence, pushing in Williams to score first heading into the second inning.
Kennedy resumed her high-caliber throwing from previous weeks and finished with 12 total strikeouts in seven innings against the Wolverines.
The Woodlands native has also broken her own strikeout record from previous years three times over already this season. The first came with nine strikeouts against Tulsa, then with 11 against Oregon and finally 16 against UTSA.
Wolverines answered back with their own defensive stopper in junior RHP Lauren Derkowski, who started with three strikeouts and only one run allowed throughout two innings.
It wasn’t until the bottom of the third inning that Derkowski’s stat sheet was sullied, as graduate CF Jazmine Hill hit a home run shot to left field. The second run of the game was the Arizona State transfer’s fifth so far in her first season as an Aggie.
Mayhem ensued for the Michigan defense in the bottom of the fifth, after Derkowski walked Hill and Cannon back to back.
Freshman pinch-runner Haley Golden took over for Cannon, before senior C Juila Cottrill pushed her teammates further along the base path with a single to second base. Hill rounded out at home for the third run of the day, while Golden reached third.
That hit marked the end of Derkowski’s reign, prompting a change to junior RHP Emerson Aiken.
Golden did not have to wait long, as junior RF Allie Enright smashed a single to left field right after to allow Golden to stroll home. Another RBI double to center field from junior SS Rylen Wiggins would seal the game for the Maroon and White by punching in two more Aggie batters, bringing the score to 6-0.
The rest of the game ended with more Kennedy-driven strikeouts and an unsuccessful comeback by Michigan, who only produced one hit in the sixth by junior LF Ellie Sieler.
Next, A&M softball looks ahead in the Judi Garman Classic for a clash against Long Beach on Thursday, Feb.29 at 4:30 p.m.
