By: Delaney Duke, Texas A&M Athletics Communications
BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Texas A&M softball extends its win streak to five after defeating Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 7-0 and 9-2, in a Tuesday doubleheader at Davis Diamond. The Aggies improve to 25-5 on the year, while the Islanders drop to 14-16.
After five and a half scoreless innings, the Aggies finally broke the scoring seal in the bottom of the fifth. The Maroon & White plated six runs on seven hits, highlighted by Shaylee Ackerman’s grand slam over the centerfield wall.
Kayla Poynter recorded her seventh win of the season after her six innings of work. The senior scattered four hits and fanned three. Hannah Mayo made her first appearance of the season in relief, tallying a strikeout in the five batters she faced.
Makinzy Herzog finished the game 2-for-4, with a home run and an RBI. This marks the junior’s 10th multi-hit game of the year.
This combined effort, cements the Aggies 12th shutout of the season.
In the nightcap, Ackerman tallied her second home run of the twin bill to finish the day with six RBI. This is the sophomore’s first back-to-back home run performance of her career.
Grace Uribe got the start in the circle and tallied her sixth victory in a five-hit outing. The freshman struck out three and allowed three walks in five innings. Kelsey Broadus tossed the last two innings, scattering one hit and fanned five.
The Maroon & White were led offensively by Dani Elder, who went a perfect 3-for-3 on the day with two home runs and two RBI.
Texas A&M outhit the Islanders, 17-10, as five Aggies finished with more than one RBI.
KEY INNINGS
Game 1
B5| Pinch hitter Taudrea Sinnie opened the frame with an infield single before Makinzy Herzog laced a single of her own through the left side. Bre Warren loaded the bases after laying down a bunt. Haley Lee roped a single through the left side of the infield to score Sinnie. Shaylee Ackerman belted a grand slam over the right centerfield wall to plate all three runners. Pinch hitter Dani Elder singled to left field and scored on Ashlynn Wall’s double. A&M 6, A&M-CC 0
B6| Herzog led off the inning sending a solo shot over the centerfield wall. A&M 7, A&M-CC 0
Game 2
B1| Warren hit a single up the middle before stealing second and advancing to third on the throwing error. A moon shot off the bat of Ackerman plated Warren. Dani Elder followed that up with another home run over the left centerfield wall. A&M 3, A&M-CC 0
T2| Haley Morse opened the frame with a solo homer over the left field wall. A&M 3, A&M-CC 1
B4| Elder went deep for the second time, almost in the same exact place. A&M 4, A&M-CC 1
T5| Tiare Lee singled through the left side and stole second. Ashleigh Sgambelluri singled to left field and advanced to second while Lee went to third. Lee was then thrown out at home on Sammi Thomas’s groundout. Morse placed a single just inside the right field line to plate Sgambelluri. A&M 4, A&M-CC 2
B5| Herzog walked and stole second. Haley Lee launched a home run to straight away centerfield. Ackerman walked and was pinch ran for by Madi Jatzlau. Jatzlau stole second before a walk was issued to Elder. Kelly Martinez loaded the bases with a groundout to the left side. Walls smoked a double to left field, plating both Jatzlau and Elder. Martinez crossed home plate on pinch hitter Morgan Smith’s sacrifice fly. A&M 9, A&M-CC 2
Top Offensive Players:
Game 1
Makinzy Herzog| 2-for-4, HR, RBI
Shaylee Ackerman| 1-for-4, HR, 4 RBI
Haley Lee| 1-for-2, RBI
Ashlynn Walls| 1-for-3, RBI
Game 2
Dani Elder|2-for-2, 2 HR, 2 RBI
Ashlynn Walls| 2-for-3, 2 RBI
Haley Lee| 1-for-3, HR, 2 RBI
Shaylee Ackerman| 1-for-3, HR, 2 RBI
Pitching Breakdown:
Game 1
Kayla Poynter (7-1) – 6.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 SO, 2 BB
Hannah Mayo – 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 SO, 1 BB
Game 2
Grace Uribe (6-1) – 5.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 SO, 3 BB
Kelsey Broadus – 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 5 SO, 0 BB
WHAT THEY SAID
Head Coach Jo Evans
On Shaylee Ackerman’s at-bats…
“You look at what she’s done and she’s been really consistent. You’ve got Haley Lee, who nobody wants to throw to, and if you’ve got Ackerman swinging the bat like she did tonight, then that makes it really tough on the team. You have to pitch to Haley Lee, or you pick your poison and pitch to Shay. I’m really pleased with what she did tonight, really struck the ball well. Even her outs are hard-hit balls, so it’s nice to see her swinging like that.”
Sophomore P/OF Shaylee Ackerman
On the team’s offensive success…
“It’s definitely a big deal, knowing that if we go out there and something doesn’t go our way, that our teammates are always going to have our backs. If I go down, I know the person behind me is going to step up. I know Haley Lee is always going to step up. We have each other’s backs always.”