The No.11 Texas A&M softball team swept No. 12 Auburn in the opening weekend of their new stadium, Davis Diamond, wrapping up a three-game series with a 7-1 win on Sunday. In addition to this series being the first played at Davis Diamond, it was A&M’s last home game of the season and Senior Day.
“We couldn’t have written this up any better,” A&M head coach Jo Evans said. “It was senior weekend, so you want to win on Senior Day. You want to win a series, we end up sweeping the series. You want to win on the first day in the new ballpark, and we did that. I’m really grateful to have the opportunity to get in this stadium this year with these seniors.”
The Aggies move to 40-12 with a 13-8 record against Southeastern Conference opponents following the win.
A&M got off to a quick start on Sunday, scoring twice in the opening frame while keeping Auburn from scoring until the sixth inning. Senior first baseman Tori Vidales launched a homer to open scoring, allowing junior outfielder Keeli Milligan to score.
“I’m really pleased with the way we played this weekend,” Evans said. “Our defense played phenomenal. We had so many great plays. I don’t have any complaints whatsoever about how we played defense.”
Vidales hit another homer on her next at-bat, initiating two of three scores in the third inning and bringing in sophomore outfielder Sarah Hudek. Freshman pinch runner Kylie George scored on a wild pitch to widen the scoring margin to 5-0.
“At the beginning of the game when we met with [Evans], she just emphasized that we don’t need to do anything different than we normally do,” Vidales said. “I think that really spoke to us, not to try too hard or try to do anything special, just get out there and play the game that we always do, and I was able to come out there and do my thing.”
Evans said it was fitting that Vidales hit two home runs in her final game in College Station.
“I loved it,” Evans said. “I said to her, ‘I’m happy you’re the one.’ That kid has hit so many home runs for us over the years, so many RBIs. I’m happy for her. Two home runs on Senior Day, how does that happen? It happens because Vidales, that’s who she is. When the light’s the brightest, she steps up.”
Hudek scored again in the fourth inning, after junior third baseman Riley Sartain singled. Milligan added another run for the Aggies.
Senior pitcher Lexi Smith earned Sunday’s win, pitching through six innings and accumulating an ERA of 1.46.
“We wanted to bring Davis Diamond in the right way,” Smith said. “Getting a sweep was bittersweet and it’s senior week as well. Getting to pitch on Senior Day was really, really fun. We knew we wanted to sweep and bring it home on Senior Day, and the fact that all of the seniors had a big part in that was really awesome and I just couldn’t ask for a better Senior Day.”
The Aggies won Friday’s game by score of 3-1 and walked away with a 1-0 win on Saturday.
On Friday, Sartain recorded the first run in the Aggie’s new stadium, helping the Aggies take a 3-0 lead in the fourth inning.
Senior shortstop Kristen Cuyos had the winning hit for A&M on Saturday, a single to center which allowed George to score the Aggies’ lone run.
The Aggies will travel to Tuscaloosa to take on No. 18 Alabama in a three-game series starting at 7 p.m. on May 4.