After knocking off the No. 19 Kentucky Wildcats in Friday’s series opener, the No. 4 Aggie softball team fell to the Wildcats in Saturday’s game two 7-2. With the loss, the Aggies fall to 41-6 (15-4 SEC) and the Wildcats improve to 33-14 (10-10 SEC).
The Aggies opened the scoring in the third, taking a 2-0 lead on a Riley Sartain 2-out single with the bases loaded. Aggie starting pitcher Lexi Smith kept the Wildcats in check until the bottom of the fifth when Kentucky scored three runs on three hits and a walk. Kentucky then added four insurance runs in the sixth on three hits and a walk. After the seven unanswered runs Kentucky scored, the Aggies couldn’t respond in the top of the seventh, going down quietly.
Coming into the game, the Aggies were undefeated when scoring first, but that streak snapped today. A&M could only manage two hits on the game, but were led on offense by sophomore Riley Sartain and freshman Sarah Hudek. Sartain went 1-3 with the RBI single that gave the Aggies their only runs of the day and Hudek went 1-2 with a run scored. In the circle, junior starter Lexi Smith held Kentucky hitless until the fifth, tossing 4.2 total innings, giving up three earned runs on two hits while striking out two and walking four.
At the plate, Kentucky was led by senior outfielder Breanne Ray, sophomore infielder Abbey Cheek, and freshman outfielder Bailey Vick. Ray went 1-3 with 2 RBIs, Cheek went 1-3 with an RBI and two runs scored, and Vick went 1-4 with an RBI and a run scored.
After splitting the first two games against No. 19 Kentucky, the No. 4 Aggie softball team lost the rubber match on Sunday 7-4. A&M falls to 41-7 (15-5 SEC) and Kentucky improves to 34-14 (11-10 SEC).
On Sunday, The Aggies started slow as starting pitcher Trinity Harrington gave up three runs in the first inning on four hits, but the Aggies answered. In the top of the third, A&M scored three runs on three hits to tie it up. In the bottom of the fifth, Kentucky tacked on a run on two walks to take the lead. Kentucky then scored three more runs in the sixth to seal it, as the Aggies tried to comeback in the seventh, but scored just one run.
In the circle, every A&M pitcher gave up at least one run, but at the plate, the Aggies were led by sophomore] Samantha Show, freshman outfielder Sarah Hudek, and junior catcher Ashley Walters. Show went 1-3 with a three-run home run, Hudek went 2-4 with an RBI, and Walters went 2-3 with a walk.
Kentucky was led by senior Meagan Prince in the circle, who tossed four total innings, giving up just one earned run on three hits and walking five. At the plate, Kentucky was led by sophomore third baseman Abbey Cheek, freshman left fielder Bailey Vick, and senior right fielder Breanne Ray. Cheek went 2-3 with two runs scored, Vick went 2-3 with an RBI and two runs scored, and Ray went 1-3 with 2 RBIs.
The Aggies will be back in action this weekend as they will play their final regular season series against No. 8 Tennessee at home. Game one on Friday is scheduled for 6 p.m.
