Wednesday Night, the No. 4 A&M faced a familiar foe No. 17 Louisiana-Lafayette at the Aggie Softball Complex. ULL upset the Aggies 11-9, for the final midweek match-up of the season. This is was the first time the two teams met since ULL eliminated A&M from the NCAA Tournament in the ULL Regional in a 9-8 contest which lasted nine innings.
ULL took the lead in the first inning off a two-run home rune off the bat of shortstop DJ Sanders. In the second inning, Haley Hayden opened the game wide open for the Ragin’ Cajun’s with a grand slam to left field, giving ULL the early 6-0 lead. 
The Aggies responded in the bottom half of the second inning with junior Kristen Cuyos homering to left with two outs. Junior Ashley Walters kept the inning alive with a double to get into scoring position for sophomore Samantha Show, who brought Walters into score with a single to right.
Despite A&M cutting into the lead, ULL continued to drive in runs, Hayden delivered once more after hitting a bases clearing double to right center giving the Ragin’ Cajuns the 11-2 lead.
On the brink of losing the game via the run rule, A&M managed to score four runs in the bottom of the fifth to extend the game and cut into ULL’s lead 11-6. The rally began with sophomore Riley Sartain sending the ball deep over the left field fence. Walters drove in Kebli Fortenberry who was in the game as a pinch runner for Cuyos. Show singled down the left field line allowing for Walters to score. Show rounded the inning out for the fourth run scoring on a illegal pitch call on ULL.
Sophomore Kaitlyn Alderink led the bottom of the sixth inning with a triple to left field. Aderink then scored on a wild pitch to the wall to come within four runs of tying the game, 11-7. 
Show reached on a single for her fourth hit of the night, in the bottom of the seventh inning. Erica Russell followed with a masterful execution of a bunt giving A&M two baserunners with one out. Keeli Milligan moved the runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Alderink singled and reached second base on a wild throw which allowed Show and Russell to score. Tori Vida’s, who represented the tying run of the game was unable to make contact and struck out swinging.
Freshman Payton McBride entered the game in the third inning and remained to the end of the game. McBride faced 14 batters and allowed only one on the base pads in the 4.1 innings she was in the circle. 
Following the game, Texas A&M head coach Jo Evans had nothing but praise for the young pitcher who has only appeared in nine games this season. 
“She gave us four perfect innings,” Evans said. “She went out there and was crafty. She handled herself great and showed maturity on the mound. We needed a huge stop right there and Payton was the one to do it. She grew up a lot tonight. She knows what she is capable of doing and she went out and did just that.” 
The Aggies will be back in action as they host No. 22 Georgia at the Aggie Softball Complex. The game is set to begin at 3:30 and can be seen on SEC Network Plus.