Credit to Tyler Pounds | Associate Director, Athletics Communications – 12thman.com
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The No. 23 Texas A&M Aggies were edged out in eight innings, 1-0, in Wednesday’s SEC Tournament action. The contest ended with the tying run at second and winning run at first for the Maroon & White.
The teams played on an even keel for the first seven innings with each team scratching out two hits in a scoreless contest.
The Gamecocks (35-19) finally broke the scoring seal in the eighth. Two of the first three South Carolina hitters got by pitches and with two outs, Riley Blampied threaded a single through the right side for the go-ahead run.
After South Carolina claimed the lead, the contest instantly entered a 4-hour, 9-minute, weather delay.
When play resumed at 8:11 pm, another Gamecock batter was hit by a pitch to load the bases, but Emiley Kennedy induced an inning-ending grounder to first base.
The Aggies (33-19) gave South Carolina all they could handle in their last trip to the plate. The frame started with Rylen Wiggins nearly tying the contest with a blast to the fence where leftfielder Marissa Gonzalez was able to get a glove on it and knock it down to herself for the out. Bre Warren drew a four-pitch walk to bring the winning run to the plate. After Allie Enright struck out looking at a 2-2 pitch, Grace Uribe worked a seven-pitch to give A&M two runners. The final out came when Koko Wooley flied out to leftfield after fouling off three two-strike pitches.
Shaylee Ackerman stymied the Gamecocks the first four innings, allowing just two runners, both hit batsmen, while striking out three. Kennedy (11-5) was saddled with the loss, yielding one run on three hits and one walk while striking out five in 4.0 innings.
UP NEXT
The NCAA Division I Softball Championship bracket field of 64 will be revealed Sunday at 6 p.m. on ESPN2.
TOP AGGIE PERFORMERS
Shaylee Ackerman – 4.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
Emiley Kennedy – 4.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
SCORING SUMMARY
T8 | Emma Sellers was hit by a pitch to start the inning and stole second base with one out. Jordan Fabian also got plunked by a pitch to give the Gamecocks a second baserunner. After Emiley Kennedy fanned Zoe Laneaux for the second out of the frame, Riley Blampied threaded a single through the right side of the inning for the Ice breaker. SC 1, A&M 0.
TEXAS A&M QUOTES
Head Coach Trisha Ford
on opening statement…
“That’s a tough one for us. I thought we had a good plan. I thought Shaylee did a great job pitching four innings. Kennedy came in and pitched well. Obviously got herself in some trouble with some hit batters that ended up a run after a base hit. It’s time to get ready for regionals now. My message to them before that last inning and I talked to them before the game was we’re not out of this until the last out. So obviously I’m very happy with that last inning. I think we could have done a better job of having that type of energy, approach and focus earlier on in the game.”
on the SEC’s media coverage…
“I feel like the SEC does a really good job from a media standpoint for talking about our sport and exposing our sport. I feel like it’s always on TV and when you talk about growing the game, you have to be able to let eight-year-olds be able to watch the game. I think they do a great job of putting a really good product out there. Basically, every school you can plug in and they can do a full broadcast.”