Texas A&M’s softball team faced off in three Maroon and White exhibition games this week, a series of inter-squad scrimmages. During these games, the team splits in two and coaches itself and the winner is awarded a victory holiday feast that the loser prepares for them. White took the series 2-1 Thursday with a final victory.
White stole the first game 5-4 with a game-changing home run by sophomore catcher Celena Massey. Both teams went on a run in the seventh inning tying the game 4-4, but Massey’s home run was the difference.
In the second game, the Maroon team dominated with a 9-0 shutout. Four of Maroon’s nine points were thanks to sophomore second baseman April Ryan, who hit a grand slam in the third inning.
In the final and deciding game of the series, junior pitcher Katie Marks began by striking out Maroon’s senior outfielder Brittany Clopton. However, Maroon would answer in its next at bat as Ryan dropped a home run over the deepest part of the fence.
Ryan hit her second home run of the game at the start of the third inning right before the sky broke open and rain began to pour.
The rain let up allowing White to have a chance at bat and junior Cali Lanphear hit her first home run of the game at the beginning of the bottom of the third. The inning ended in a 2-2.
Sophomore catcher/first baseman Suzanne White hit a homer off senior pitcher Rachel Fox’s first pitch bringing in an RBI and run in the fourth.
Fox took herself out of the game and was replaced with senior pitcher Lauren Ainsley, who had thrown a no hitter in game two of the Maroon and White series. She ended the fourth inning with two consecutive pop flies to the infield, as White ended the inning with a 4-2 lead.
A hit to right field by freshman catcher Hailey Rebar brought in Ryan as Maroon closed the gap to 4-3 after five innings.
Erica Russell then hit a solo home run to stretch White’s lead back to two, forcing Maroon then changed pitchers from Ainsley to freshman first baseman Kayla Ober.
With runners on the corners Maroon had a chance to tie the game in the final inning. Russell brought Rebar in with her hit to shortstop, but sacrificed Ober giving Maroon two outs. To end the game Clopton hit a line drive that was caught by sophomore Reagan Boenker as White took home the victory.
Aggie softball will not play again until Feb. 6 when they will take part in the SoCal Collegiate Classic. They will play head coach Jo Evans’ alma mater Utah in Los Angeles at 12:30 p.m. to begin tournament action.