Looking at the statistics from the teams, this series was primed for an offensive explosion. The first game did not reflect that.
The No. 20 Texas A&M softball team defeated the No. 9 Kentucky Wildcats 3-0 in an eight-inning pitcher’s duel on Friday at the Aggie Softball Complex. The one mistake all night came from junior Kelsey Nunley and sophomore April Ryan made her pay for it with a walk-off three run homer to end it.
This was the SEC opener for both teams with a pitching clinic on full display. Senior Rachel Fox for A&M (18-4, 1-0 SEC) and junior Kelsey Nunley both went deep into the game, making life difficult for their respective batters. Kentucky (13-4, 0-1 SEC) routinely pushed Fox deep into the count, but Fox continued to get Wildcats out.
Tori Vidales smoked a leadoff double into left-center field in the fourth inning to put the Aggies in scoring position for the first time in the game. Kelsey Nunley was painting the black all night and quelled the mini rally with a groundout of Cali Lanphear to end the inning. She finished the game allowing six hits and three runs.
Fox had an outstanding day in the circle, going eight innings while allowing two hits. She was pitching a no-hitter through her first five innings. The no-no was broken up in the sixth with junior Sylver Samuel slapping a dribbler to second base and using her speed to get the hit. Kentucky ended up getting two runners in scoring position before another strikeout from Fox ended the inning.
Senior Brittany Clopton started the rally in the eighth with a double down the left-field line. Nunley elected to walk freshman Tori Vidales and April Ryan finished the game in dramatic fashion.
The Aggies and Wildcats continue their series at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Aggie Softball Complex.