An unexpected 8-5 loss against Liberty in Texas A&M softball’s second game of the Bryan-College Station NCAA Regional kept field workers, media members, student-athletes and fans in Davis Diamond for an elimination game against Marist. After battling through five innings, the Aggies came out on top after dismantling the Red Foxes on Saturday, 17-4.
“My mind is already on tomorrow,” coach Trisha Ford said following the win. “So we gotta come out tomorrow, and we’re going to do it the hard way. But if anybody can do it, we can.”
Graduate catcher Mac Barbara had the 12th Man blowing bubbles early in the first inning after delivering a clean and deep double hit to the right field line, sending home senior shortstop Koko Wooley after a close call at first base.
Ice in their veins from the previous game spurred both junior first baseman Amari Harper and freshman second baseman KK Dement to hit back-to-back RBIs — Harper with a double to center field for a single run and Dement with a long ball past the scoreboard for a two-run homer — for a total of four runs throughout the inning.
The Red Foxes didn’t want the same treatment Saint Francis received in their first game against the Maroon and White — ending up down by five after the first inning. And they proved it in the bottom of the first with two hits and a walk, ultimately leading to just one run scored after senior right-handed pitcher Emily Levitt struck out two with Marist batters on the corners.
A pair of walks, and a pair singles to no man’s land in center field would end graduate RHP Kiley Myers’ brief time in the circle as senior RHP Isabella Milazzo took her place following sophomore designated player Mya Perez’s one-run RBI single.
After what would have been an easy flyout for junior left fielder Isabella Manory — who failed to secure the catch — Milazzo loaded the bases and then calmly ended the drama with a ground out to third base to strand three Fightin’ Farmers.
Trailing 5-1, the Red Foxes earned their momentum back through senior Ronni Howard’s baserunning skills as she advanced all the way to home after a passed ball and center fielder Peyton Pusey’s triple that ricochet off of Harper’s glove at first base. However, Leavitt showed her experience with a strikeout to strand a Fox on base, A&M still up 5-2.
Senior center fielder Allie Enright earned the Maroon and White’s eighth hit of the game in the top of the third with a lead-off single to left field. Junior left fielder Kramer Eschete thought she had similar success with her shot to center field, only for redshirt junior second baseman Haley Ahr to prevent it from landing with her back towards the batters box.
Marist prevented any possible damage after Wooley flied out for the third pop-up out in the inning for the Red Foxes.
Just as both teams were looking comfortable after a scoreless third inning, Perez slammed a no-doubter past the wall for her first run of the day. Then, Barbara did what she does best — hit-dingers — as she extended the Aggies lead to seven following Perez’s hit.
Keeping the party going — and the bubbles — was newcomer Dement with her second RBI of the night after hitting a double to deep center field. As if the wall was calling the Fightin’ Farmers, Enright sent another one towards the bottom of the left field barrier, advancing her to second before junior pinch hitter Kylei Griffin flied out to center for a sacrifice run.
Powell’s fly out tallied another run for the Aggies, forcing Marist to opt for a pitching change — albeit the move was in vain as the new pitcher, freshman Emma Bayor, walked the next two batters before giving up a grand slam to Harper.
“We lean on each other,” Barbara said. “It’s not one person to win a ball game. It’s nine or 27 girls, which is what you saw today in the second game. So that’s what we do, is we rely on each other, we rely on our coaches, and it’s all about trust as well.”
With the run-rule quickly approaching in the fifth, A&M headed into the bottom of the fourth inning behind a monster 10-run, six-hit performance.
In a late effort to fight off a quick ending, the Red Foxes put pressure on junior RHP Grace Sparks, who entered the circle for the Maroon and White and immediately loaded the bases, giving up a two-run RBI hit to senior 1B Maddie Gore, whose batting average is an abysmal .159.
Barbara came up big one last time in the top of the fifth, hammering home a two-run RBI to seal the game, 17-4.
“Tomorrow we just got to come out, show up,” Barbara said. “We didn’t really do that today [against Liberty], but that’s what we have another day for, to do that. So it’s going to be tough, but we embrace the hard here, and that’s what we were taught to do. So that’s what we’re going to do.”
Next, A&M will face Liberty, vying for a shot at the Super Regionals if the Aggies can take the two-game series over the Lady Flames tomorrow. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. on Sunday, with another game to follow 30-to-45 minutes after the conclusion of the first, should A&M come out victorious.
