Fresh off a loss to No. 7 LSU in Game 1 of the weekend series, Texas A&M softball sought to even the series against the Tigers in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on Friday, March 29.
However, A&M once again fell prey to an LSU comeback after leading by one run throughout the first five innings. The Aggies dropped Game 2, 5-1, after pitching issues gave the game to the Tigers in the last two innings.
After starting the lineup walking both junior 1B Amari Harper and graduate CF Jazmine Hill, graduate RHP Kelley Lynch put the Tigers in a tough situation, leading to the Aggies striking first in the bottom of the first.
Senior C Julia Cottrill took advantage of Chaffin’s struggles and landed a shot in right field for her 14th RBI of the season, which allowed Harper to reach home.
.@juliacottrill gets the Aggies on the board with her 14th two-out RBI of the season. pic.twitter.com/g1PqijIhXy
— Texas A&M Softball (@AggieSoftball) March 29, 2024
On the defensive side, junior RHP Shaylee Ackerman cleaned out the start of the Tigers’ lineup with a strikeout and two flyouts in her first appearance in the series.
In the top of the third, Lynch bailed out the Tigers from a dangerous bases-loaded situation after giving up two hits and a walk. Harper started off with a single to left-center field, followed by junior SS Koko Wooley, who singled up the middle of the field.
Lynch made matters worse for the Tigers by walking Hill, but then the Fightin’ Farmers were caught in a daze by Lynch’s deadly rise-up pitch.
She struck out senior DP Trinity Cannon, junior RF Allie Enright and Cottrill all in succession to strand the remaining Aggies on base and send her own squad back to the dugout.
The Tigers found new life in the bottom of the fifth after senior C Alie Newland singled up the middle. That hit prompted a change for coach Trisha Ford’s bullpen, switching Ackerman for junior RHP Emily Leavitt. Graduate CF Ciara Briggs continued the on-base trend after reaching on a fielder’s choice, where Leavitt threw Newland out at second. Graduate SS Taylor Pleasants continued the hitting streak with a RBI double to left-center, which brought home Briggs to tie the game at 1.
LSU kept its offensive momentum going in the bottom of the sixth, as Leavitt walked two Tigers in a row until the A&M pitching staff decided to make another change, bringing out junior LHP Emiley Kennedy who pitched Game 1.
Sophomore C Maci Bergeon hit a single to center field right after, pushing her teammates further along the basepath. Freshman 3B Maddox McKee brought in junior RF McKenzie Redoutey with a groundout to second and then freshman PR Savanna Bedell stole home, marking down two more runs for the Tigers.
The pitching woes for A&M continued as Kennedy walked Newland, then Briggs took advantage with a single to shortstop.
A string of three consecutive walks by Kennedy would send Newland and Briggs to score before Cottrill finally ended the onslaught by forcing Pleasants out at home.
Next, A&M will finish the series against LSU on Saturday, March 30 at 2 p.m. at Tiger Park.
