Tamed by the Tigers on the road, Texas A&M softball dropped Game 1 to LSU off of a walk-off home run in the bottom of the eighth on Thursday, March 28.
With the bases loaded from sophomore 1B Amari Harper and graduate CF Jazmine Hills’s singles plus senior DP Trinity Cannon’s walk, senior C Julia Cottrill was walked to put the first run up for the Aggies in the bottom of the first.
Walking the first batter she faced, junior LHP Emiley Kennedy got out of the first without a run and struck out the final batter looking.
Junior SS Koko Wooley stole second and advanced to third, but she was called out at first after a challenge by LSU saw her leaving first early. With the change in the call from safe at third to out at first, A&M went on defense.
In back-to-back 1-2-3 innings, Kennedy had retired nine consecutive batters by the third.
The bases were loaded for the Tigers with a single by graduate DP Kelley Lynch sandwiched by two walks. Junior RF McKenzie Redoutey’s single to Wooley ended the threat of the Tigers earning their first run.
Sophomore C Maci Bergeron doubled to right field in the fifth, and sophomore Maia Townsend pinch ran for her. The next batter, freshman 3B Maddox McKee, advanced on a fielding error by Wooley, sending Townsend to third. McKee got out on a double play of senior 2B Rylen Wiggins to Harper. A single to Wooley by graduate CF Ciara Briggs sent Townsend home to tie the game, 1-1.
The sixth inning came and went with each pitcher retiring three batters.
The top of the seventh left one runner on for the Aggies as Kennedy returned to the circle to try and extend the game into extra innings.
Redoutey singled off Kennedy’s first pitch of the inning to sophomore 3B Kennedy Powell. After a fly out by Bergeron, sophomore McKaela Walker entered to pinch hit for McKee. Striking out looking, Walker left the batter’s box for the final batter of the night to fly out to left field.
It was time for extra innings.
After ground and line outs by Wooley and Harper, Hill was walked by Berzon. Subbing in for Hill, freshman Hailey Golden went to first to pinch run. Cannon struck out looking, and it went to the bottom of the frame.
Graduate SS Taylor Pleasants homered to center field to end Game 1. She earned her sixth home run of the season.
The Aggies will take on the Tigers in Game 2 on Friday, March 29 with first pitch at 5 p.m.
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