Following a victory over Houston in its final home game of the season, No. 11 Texas A&M softball traveled to Huntsville to face Sam Houston State on Wednesday, April 24.
The Aggies have been excellent at keeping their foot on the gas pedal once they get ahead early. Following their performance against the Bearkats, the Aggies moved to 17-2 on the season when leading after the first inning.
A&M’s explosive first inning started with two batters reaching base via walks followed by a home run from senior 1B Trinity Cannon, which bumped her season total to 13. Junior SS Koko Wooley singled to center field on a full count and senior 2B Rylen Wiggins reached on a fielding error, bringing Wooley home. Wiggins was caught stealing to end the first for the Aggies with an early 4-0 lead.
Graduate P Shaylee Ackerman started in the circle for the Aggies and started off her runless evening with a three up, three down first inning, striking out Sam Houston State senior CF Ellie Grill in the process.
The Bearkats’ sophomore 3B Morgan Holliday spoiled Ackerman’s hitless game with a single to left field on a 2-2 count. A passed ball allowed Holliday to advance to third before junior LF Haley Mountain drew a walk. The Aggies’ defense was not rattled by the runners on first and third and recorded a popout and a groundout to escape the inning unscathed.
A&M extended its lead in the fourth. Junior LF Kramer Eschete doubled to left field, which brought home Harper and sophomore 3B Kennedy Powell to up the lead to 6-0.
Ackerman showed no signs of slowing down in the bottom of the fifth. She recorded two strikeouts in the inning, including an eight pitch at-bat in which she caught Mountain swinging.
The sixth inning was good to the Aggies. Powell led the frame off with a double to left-center and Harper took first after being hit by a pitch. Eschete walked, loading the bases. Sophomore LF Keely Williams hit an RBI single to right field and a wild pitch advanced the runners, which brought Harper home.
Cannon then recorded a two-RBI double and scored off of a sacrifice fly from freshman Mya Perez, who pinch hit for Wiggins. When the dust settled, the Aggies had tallied five runs in the inning, moving their lead to 11-0.
In the Bearkats’ last time up, Grill flew out to left field, Yarotsky singled up the middle and Herzinger hit into a double play to end the contest.
Ackerman recorded five strikeouts and allowed just two hits while moving to 8-1 on the season. Sam Houston State freshman P Abigail Young lasted just 1.2 innings and moved to 4-6 this year.
The Maroon and White improved to 39-9 overall on the season with the win. The Bearkats’ season record moved to 17-27 with the loss.
The Aggies will go on the road to face the Florida Gators in the final series of the regular season. The first game of the series will be played at 6 p.m. on Friday, May 3 on SEC Network+.