After taking the home series over Kentucky last weekend, No. 12 Texas A&M softball received a well-deserved break over the week before traveling to Tuscaloosa, Alabama to face the Crimson Tide on Saturday, April 13.
After going up 2-0 in the second inning, Alabama never looked back as they leaned on its experienced ace, graduate RHP Kayla Beaver, to shutout the Maroon and White. While A&M was successful getting on base, it left eight runners stranded while producing six total hits in the 2-0 loss.
The Aggies heated up the batters box in the top of the second, starting with junior LF Kramer Eschete who made it to first off a bunt to third. Junior RF Allie Enright continued the streak with a hit past second base, reaching first on a fielders’ choice while Eschete took advantage of an error by Beaver.
Both a groundout and flyout, combined with Beaver striking out senior DP Trinity Cannon would strand the two Fightin’ Farmers on base and send the rest back onto the field.
The Tide found their own hitting success in the bottom of the second led by senior 1B Emma Broadfoot with a single directly to junior LHP Emiley Kennedy.
Graduate LF Jenna Johnson was walked by Kennedy before “Lefty”, struckout her second Alabama batter of the night in junior 2B Kali Heivilin.
3️⃣↑3️⃣↓#GigEm pic.twitter.com/5fC3MrFFRR
— Texas A&M Softball (@AggieSoftball) April 13, 2024
Sophomore DP Abby Duchscherer then brought the two Crimson Tide runners home with a well-placed double to left center field, taking the lead 2-0.
After a quiet two innings, the Crimson Tide snuffed out any fire the Aggies had in the top of the fifth. Sophomore 1B Amari Harper started with a single to second, then junior SS Koko Wooley strung together another single, this time to shortstop.
However, Beaver and the rest of her defense remained composed, stranding the pair of Farmers on base after senior C Julia Cottrill and graduate CF Jazmine Hill flied out.
Lefty kept the Crimson Tide at bay on the defensive side with four total strikeouts and allowed only two hits throughout seven innings.
Lefty gets her fourth strikeout of the day, followed by a fly out as we move to the sixth. Eschete, Enright and Cannon due up. pic.twitter.com/vYkpR5S9mI
— Texas A&M Softball (@AggieSoftball) April 13, 2024
In the top of the sixth, Cannon attempted to breathe life into the A&M dugout with a single shot to right center field. Instead, Beaver had other plans, taking down two more Aggies with her dangerous fast ball.
Beaver limited the Maroon and White’s potential on offense severely with six total strikeouts and walking only two batters throughout the game.
Kennedy found herself in another pinch in the bottom of the sixth after she hit 3B Bailey Dowling with a pitch. However, the Fightin’ Farmers did not waiver as Broadfoot lined into a double play from junior 2B Rylen Wiggins to Harper at first.
Back on offense, A&M failed to mount anything in the last inning as Beaver took care of business, forcing three straight groundouts to take Game 1 of the series.
Next, the Aggies will face the Crimson Tide again in Game 2 at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 14, at Rhoades Stadium.
