No. 5 Texas A&M softball capped off its non-conference series against Loyola Marymount with a 12-0 shutout on Sunday, March 30.
With a combined series score of 31-3, the Aggies’ experience proved pivotal as they run ruled the Lions for the second time this series, giving the California cats an early trip back to Los Angeles with their tail between their legs.
“I thought we did a tremendous job today offensively,” coach Trisha Ford said.
Starting in the circle for A&M was none other than ace senior left-handed pitcher Emiley Kennedy, who domesticated the visiting Lions, allowing no runs and only two hits. The veteran pitcher exploited LMU’s underclassmen, accumulating eight strikeouts in the afternoon matchup.
On the other side of Davis Diamond, the Lions starting senior right-handed pitcher Jessica Hubbard lasted just 1 1/3 innings, as the Aggies went through their entire batting lineup in the bottom of the first alone. This gave the Maroon and White an early 3-0 lead, yet things could have gotten even more out of hand as A&M left the bases loaded to begin the matchup.
“We had good communication between our batters,” junior right fielder Amari Harper said. “So honestly, just picking a side, whether it was inside or outside, and kind of transferring that from batter to batter, … then just swinging at strikes like that was our best thing so far this weekend.”
She was eventually pulled after giving up a solo home run to Harper in the bottom of the second, which gave A&M a 4-0 lead. Things went equally poorly for junior RHP Lindsay O’Dell, who gave up a home run on her very first pitch to the Aggies home run leader, sophomore first baseman Mya Perez, giving the Maroon and White a 5-0 lead.
“I think when we get on them and get on them early, it kind of helps the momentum, and it just helps us know, like we’re in a good space,” Harper said.
A&M was the Scar to LMU’s Mufasa showing no mercy in the bottom of the third inning, as the Aggies went through their entire batting order for the second time on the afternoon. The Fightin’ Farmers cultivated three runs on four hits, giving them an 8-0 lead, despite leaving the bases loaded again.
Even with the run-rule victory already close at hand, the Aggies piled it on even further showing no regard for the Lions , as not even PETA could have saved LMU from the Maroon and White batters.
Capping off things in the fourth was Perez, hitting her 10th home run of the campaign, a two-run bomb oppo-taco, to the fans sitting behind the right field wall.
“This sounds bad, but like, that’s Mya,” Ford said. “We just didn’t see that last year. She is that kid. She’s been that kid her whole life. She can mash … she’s stronger, that kid lifts crazy, like she can put some weight, throw some weight around on that bar, she’s become a collegiate softball player.”
The Aggies added another four runs in the fourth, going through their entire lineup for the third time even as Ford made several substitutions to give some of A&M’s underclassmen valuable in-game reps.
“It’s important for them to go ahead and get those reps, and they’re getting them in practice, but games, you know, are very different,” Ford said.
Heading into the top of the fifth inning, trailing 12-0, LMU would have needed a miracle to get back in the game. But with Kennedy in the circle and in prime form, the Lions stood no chance, suffering their third hitless inning of the day.
“Her timing was better,” Ford said. “One thing that’s been a little off is her trunk arm timing, to be honest with you. So when she lands and her arm’s too low, she’s trying to basically diversify her pitches, but she doesn’t have enough length to manipulate the ball to get it to where it needs to get to. … If her foot gets down on time, then she can have length to be able to do what she needs to do.”
The Aggies will look to continue their winning streak in their midweek matchup against the Prairie View A&M Panthers on Wednesday, April 2.
