BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION – Aggie ace Emiley Kennedy and the national No. 16 seed Texas A&M softball team dominated Texas State in run-rule fashion, 8-0, in five innings, to advance to its first NCAA Super Regional since 2018, Sunday afternoon at Davis Diamond.
After scoring a run in the opening frame, Texas A&M (43-13) asserted its dominance with a crooked second inning as Rylen Wiggins jacked a leadoff home run and Kennedy Powell followed with a two-run bell ringer for an early 4-0 lead.
Ol’ Sarge’s charges stormed into run-rule territory in the third inning batting around the order and scoring four two-out runs on five hits to take a commanding 8-0 lead.
Kennedy retired the first six batters before Texas State (47-14) reached base with a leadoff walk in the third. The junior reset by striking out the next batter and recording consecutive groundouts to end the frame. Kennedy continued to control game tossing 3.1 innings before the Bobcats were able to muster their lone hit of the game.
Lefty earned the win going the distance for her 23rd complete game of the season, while throwing 58 pitches in her 10th shutout of the season.
UP NEXT
Texas A&M travels to play No. 1 national seed Texas in the Austin Super Regional at McCombs Field, with dates and times yet to be announced.
AGGIE TOP PERFORMERS
Kennedy Powell – 2-for-4, 1 HR, 1 2B, 3 RBI, 1 R
Rylen Wiggins – 2-for-3, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 2 R
Koko Wooley – 3-for-3, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB
Emily Kennedy (W, 23-10) – 5.0 IP, 2 K, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB
NOTABLES
- Emiley Kennedy’s 23rd complete game of the season is the most for an Aggie pitcher since Rachel Fox went the distance 23 times in 2015. Lefty recorded her 10th shutout of the season to become the first Aggie with double-digit shutouts since Mel Dumezich registered 12 in 2011.
- Rylen Wiggins made her 225th career start and 100th career start at second base. The senior hit her 26th career home run and 11th of the season in the second inning.
- Wiggins’ pair of hits were No. 39 and No. 40 this season, marking career highs, while Kennedy Powell brought her season total hits to 45, also a career high.
- Koko Wooley extended her on-base streak to 12 games and hit streak to 10 games with a single to center field in the first inning. The junior finished with three hits, leading the team with her 18th multi-hit game of the season.
- The pair of home runs marked the 17th multi-home run game of the season, while the 62 round trippers this season are the ninth most in Aggie history.
- Texas A&M recorded seven RBI and scored eight runs. The Aggies have plated 352 runs this season, tied for third-most in program history, while the 304 RBI are fifth-most in a season.
- The Maroon & White moved to 35-8 when hosting a regional and are 7-2 on regional final Sundays in Aggieland.
SCORING SUMMARY
T1 | Koko Wooley and Trinity Cannon hit consecutive singles to have runners on the corners before Julia Cottrill hit a sac fly to score Wooley. TAMU 1, TXST 0
T2 | Rylen Wiggins led off with a home run to left center. Allie Enright singled to left field and Kennedy Powell hit a two-run homer to right field. TAMU 4, TXST 0
T3 | Wiggins and Enright recorded consecutive two-out singles, followed by a passed ball to score Wiggins. Mya Perez was walked and was pinch ran for by Hailey Golden, while Aiyana Coleman pinch-hit for Kramer Eschete and singled to left to score Enright. Powell hit a double down the right field line to score Golden, followed by a bunt single from Wooley to score Eschete after she reentered. TAMU 8, TXST 0
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