COLLEGE STATION – The No. 9 Texas A&M softball team fell to No. 20 Kentucky, 3-2, Sunday afternoon in the last game at the Aggie Softball Complex.
Kentucky (26-13, 4-10 SEC) struck first in the second before the Aggies took a 2-1 lead in the third on a Sarah Hudek single up the middle and back-to-back doubles from Tori Vidales and Ashley Walters.
A solo shot from Mallory Peyton in the fifth allowed the Wildcats to even the game at two before taking the lead in the sixth inning on a walk and an RBI double.
The Maroon & White (36-10, 9-6 SEC) loaded the bases in the bottom half of the sixth but a double play on a line drive to the pitcher ended the threat.
Trinity Harrington earned the start for the Aggies in the circle and threw five innings, allowing four hits, two runs and fanning three. Lexi Smith threw two innings in relief and was saddled with the loss to move to 7-2 on the season. The Temple, Texas, native struck out five while allowing three hits, one walk and one run.
Ashley Walters went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a double. The senior recorded her 48th double in her career and is tied for first all-time with Jennifer McFalls (1991-94) and Megan Gibson (2005-08).
Kentucky’s Autumn Humes (8-5) earned the win as she allowed five hits in five innings of work. Grace Baalman, who earned the start for the Wildcats, allowed three hits, two walks and two runs and struck out one in two innings.
KEY INNINGS
T2 | Brooklin Hinz led off the inning with a single up the middle and was moved to second on a sacrifice bunt before coming around to score on an Abbey Cheek single. UK 1, A&M 0
B3 | Hudek singled up the middle followed by a double from Vidales. Walters delivered a two-RBI double to left, plating Hudek and Vidales. A&M 2, UK 1
T5 | Mallory Peyton hit a solo shot to right to tie the game at two. A&M 2, UK 2
T6 | Hinz earned a walk in the sixth followed by a double to left from Alex Martens to give Kentucky the lead. UK 3, A&M 2
Top Offensive Players:
Ashley Walters | 2-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI
Pitching Breakdown:
Trinity Harrington | 5.0 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 3 K, 0 BB
Lexi Smith | 2.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 5 K, 1 BB
AGGIE NOTES
· Sarah Hudek extended her hitting streak to 10 and has reached base in 11-consecutive games
· Ashley Walters’ two RBI give her 156 for her career, moving her past Rhi Kliesing (2008-11) forseventh all-time
· Ashley Walters is tied for first-all time in doubles in her career with 48
WHAT THEY SAID
Texas A&M Head Coach Jo Evans
On the game overall…
“I thought our pitchers did a good job of holding them to three runs on day three when they are a team that makes really good adjustments. There were a couple of little things that could have gone differently, and it would have been a totally different ball game. We have to catch that ball in left field because that was the winning run, so that is disappointing. We loaded the bases with nobody out and had every opportunity to win the ball game in the sixth inning, but we just didn’t get it done. I see opportunities that we just didn’t take advantage of. I thought Kentucky stepped up and made some really big plays when they needed to. They hit it out for the tying run, and that ball squeaked in fair. It is a game of inches, and today just wasn’t our day.”
On Lexi Smith…
“I thought Lexi did well. She did a great job in the seventh inning with the bases loaded. They had an opportunity to score with the bases loaded and only one out, and she gets two huge strikeouts to end the inning. I thought she did a really good job. She’s a kid that is going to throw a bunch of pitches, but we know that. I thought she went out there and kept us in the game and gave us a chance.”
On what the team should take away from today’s game…
“We just need to keep fighting and keep competing. That’s the way the game goes sometimes. It is not always going to be easy or go our way, but if we didn’t set the table or get those opportunities then I wouldn’t be getting a lot of sleep at night. We had those opportunities though, and almost every time we play we take advantage of those. It is disappointing not to win that one today, but that is part of dealing with it. It’s hard to beat a team three days in a row. It is not easy.”
On final game at the Aggie Softball Complex…
“I just want to thank all the fans for coming. We had a great crowd today. I wish we could’ve sent them home with a win, but I want to thank them. They have come out here to our beloved stadium and field. I appreciate the fans knowing that they sit on some hard bleachers with no chair backs and not a lot of room, but they still come day in and day out. I really appreciate them. It has been a great run here, and we are ready to start a new run at Davis Diamond.”
ON DECK
The Aggies travel to Baton Rouge, La., for a three-game series against LSU. Action begins Friday at 6:00 p.m. on SEC Network+.
STAY CONNECTED
Fans can follow the Aggies wherever they go by following @AggieSoftball on Instagram and Twitter or on Facebook at Facebook.com/TAMUSoftball.
Story courtesy of Texas A&M Athletics