“It’s more of a weight lifted off my shoulder now,” senior catcher Mac Barbara said. “I can finally breathe.”

The ball flew off Barbara’s bat, with an exit velocity of 79 mph and traveled 267 feet up and over the center field wall in the bottom of the third inning. Bubbles flooded Davis Diamond as the 12th Man rose to their feet and Barbara rounded the bags for the 50th home run of her career.

Texas A&M softball cleared the ballpark and brought Prairie View A&M to heel with a 10-0 shutout in only five innings, securing a seven-game winning streak for the Maroon and White on Wednesday. The Lady Panthers had their whiskers in a twist all night, and managed to land just one hit since the two teams’ fought last in the 2022 season, thanks to freshman designated player Kayla Ziad. 

The 2022 year holds more significance than just having housed the last recorded Purple and Gold hit. It was also the last time home run hitter Barbara dawned a catcher’s mask.

That is, until today.

For the first time since her Regional match-up with Arizona State, when she sported the Scarlet and Black of San Diego State, Barbara found herself playing defense.

“Debuting as a catcher today, that was fun,” Barbara said. “I was kinda nervous. KP [junior third basemen Kennedy Powell] had to come talk to me. It’s nice to have teammates who support you.”

In the top of the fourth, a major change occurred behind the plate for the Aggies. Though it’s been three long years, Barbara got low and lifted her glove.

“I haven’t been back there in a long time,” Barbara said. “I’m gonna have to have an ice bath.”

But before that could happen, Aggie yell leaders worked to hype up the rather sleepy stands at the start of the midweek game. Junior right-handed pitcher Grace Sparks delivered the wake-up call as she stepped into the circle for the Aggies. 

With a 2.47 ERA, Sparks helped out her statline allowing no runs and just one hit to the speedy Zaid, who hit a single to third base, before eventually setting her eyes on second base.

Danger, danger. 

The Fightin’ Farmers had to to keep Zaid from sliding in for a steal, as Prairie View is No. 6 in total stolen bases with a team wide 106 free bags. Leaving early this time, she’d be the Panthers third out. 

It was in the brunt of the second inning when A&M put its first pair of runs on the board. A single up the middle by freshman second baseman KK Dement propelled senior shortstop Koko Wooley through home plate. Dement would follow suit after junior C Gracyn Coleman hit the ball 69 mph up the middle of the Panther defense. 

“This is what you’re supposed to do,” coach Trisha Ford said. “Let’s get after it right now. Let’s go out there. Let’s make some noise.”

It’s no secret that when the powerhouse combination of sophomore first baseman Mya Perez, and Barbara, are back-to-back in the lineup, there’s going to be some automatic fire off the bat. 

And that’s just what happened in the third inning.

Perez was hit by the pitch and casually trotted to first, but her partner in crime strode into the batter’s box with one thing plaguing her thoughts.

“It did sit in the back of my mind,” Barbara said. “I was pressing for one.”

She did press the right buttons as she slammed a home run into a group of fans gathered outside Davis Diamond, effectively tallying up two more runs for the Aggies.

Senior center fielder Allie Enright trailed Barbara’s homer with a 75 mph missile to second base that saw the agile Aggie veteran beat the throw to first. Enright  then stole home for the Aggies fifth run off a wild pitch. 

Dement and senior left fielder Kramer Eschete would skip on home, roping a seven-point lead for A&M as Prairie View readied to switch in senior P Madalyne Martinez in the circle .

“We are all business,” Ford said. “I told them, ‘Don’t let this nip you in the butt.’”

Ding, ding, ding. 

The Aggies found the ball three more times in the bottom of the fourth, with freshman OF Kelsey Mathis scoring on a wild pitch following Barbara’s steps on the plate and chased by Lovell for the closing score, 10-0.

With the five-inning finish, A&M earned its second run rule victory in a row… The Aggies hope to mirror their speedy victory when taking on the No. 16 Georgia Bulldogs at Jack Turner Softball Stadium at 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 5.

“Okay, Georgia, what’s next?” Ford said, “Let’s compete our tails off and execute some Aggie softball.”