No. 3 Texas A&M softball is riding into the weekend on a nine-game winning streak with a chance to make a statement as the Southeastern Conference’s hottest team.
The Aggies welcome No. 6 LSU to Davis Diamond for a heavyweight battle between two programs with nearly identical resumes and stat sheets.
A&M opened its season with a dominant 20-2 non-conference run, highlighted by wins over No. 8 Florida State and No. 13 Texas Tech. They dropped their SEC opener to then-No. 3 Florida but have caught fire since, winning all but one game after that series.
The Aggies’ last loss came on March 21 against the then-No. 24 Alabama Crimson Tide. Since then, the Maroon and White have rattled off nine straight victories, outscoring opponents 82-19 while recording four shutouts and six run-rule victories along the way.
Coming off a dominant series win that saw the Fightin’ Farmers outscore the No. 16 Georgia Bulldogs 20-5 over two games, the Aggies will be hungry to carry their momentum over against a title contender in LSU.
Meanwhile, LSU has been impressive in their own right. While they may not be as red-hot as the Aggies, the Tigers are coming off a hard-fought 2-1 series win over Alabama and still have the firepower to overwhelm any team in the country.
fLSU opened the season ranked No. 10 nationally and quickly climbed the polls after a remarkable 29-1 start, rising as high as No. 3 by late March. Since reaching that ranking, however, the Tigers have cooled off. They’ve gone 7-4 over their last 11 games, including a series loss to No. 11 South Carolina that bumped them down to No. 6 in the national rankings.
The stage is set for what should be a wonderful matchup between two rivals that are scarily similar.
LSU and A&M enter the weekend ranked No. 2 and No. 3 in offense and No. 3 and No. 4 in pitching, respectively, among SEC teams.The Aggies have the edge in power, leading the Tigers with 38 home runs, 350 hits and a .547 slugging percentage. But LSU is more consistent at the plate, boasting a .361 batting average compared to A&M’s .352, along with six more total RBIs.
If there’s a weakness on the visitor’s offense, it’s their lack of home runs. LSU ranks second worst in the SEC in home runs with only 34 in the year, a stat that should take some pressure off A&M’s pitchers.
Both teams are exceptional collectively, but it’s the individuals who will ultimately decide the outcome. With All-Americans on both sides, a few players are poised to make the biggest impact.
Sophomore first baseman Mya Perez has been one of A&M’s most dangerous hitters, boasting a .450 average with 45 hits, 12 home runs and 55 RBIs, placing her among the top three in the SEC.
For LSU, its premier offensive weapon this season has been redshirt freshman 1B Tori Edwards, who missed the previous year due to injury. She leads the conference with 14 home runs and ranks third with 56 RBIs as well as ranking top 10 in both batting average and slugging percentage.
Both teams are equally dominant in the pitching department, with the Tigers holding a slight edge in ERA at 2.03 compared to the Aggies’ 2.23. Both teams have been dynamic on the mound, with LSU holding opponents to a .199 batting average and A&M allowing a .215 average. The Aggies have posted 10 shutouts this season, just two fewer than LSU’s 12.
While both sides feature excellent work from the circle, the Tigers’ pitchers have been prone to giving up free passes, with 24 wild pitches and 26 hit batters — the third most in the SEC — as well as 104 walks.
A&M, on the other hand, has been more disciplined, surrendering just 89 walks and 17 hit batters. However, LSU has only allowed 13 home runs compared to A&M’s 22 and has given up fewer doubles, 18 to 36.
Junior right-handed pitcher Sydney Berzon has been LSU’s ace in the circle, posting a 14-3 record with a 1.94 ERA, good for fifth in the SEC. She has struck out 84 batters while limiting opponents to a .226 batting average, solidifying her role as a top pitcher in the SEC.
Senior left-handed pitcher Emiley Kennedy has been dominant for the Aggies with a 12-3 record and a 2.52 ERA across 19 appearances. The D1 Softball Preseason first-team All-American has racked up 82 strikeouts and held opponents to a .188 batting average.
The highly anticipated showdown between these two rivals is set to kick off this Friday at 6 p.m. at Davis Diamond, with Game 2 slated for Saturday at 2 p.m. and Game 3 on Sunday at 1 p.m.
