
News release from Texas A&M Athletics:
BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION – The No. 3 Texas A&M softball team carries its nine-game winning streak into an SEC heavyweight bout against No. 6 LSU beginning Friday at 6 p.m. at Davis Diamond.
Texas A&M (34-5, 8-3) and LSU (35-5, 8-4) continue the series with Saturday’s first pitch at 2 p.m., while the series finale is slated for Sunday at 1 p.m. Saturday is featured on a national broadcast on the SEC Network with two-time Olympian Danielle Lawrie (analyst) and Alex Loeb (play-by-play) in the booth. The bookend games can be streamed on the SECN+ with Donna Conrad (analyst) and Chelsea Reber (play-by-play) on the call.
WHERE THE AGGIES ARE NATIONALLY
Texas A&M is ranked No. 3 in all four national polls for Week 9, marking the program’s highest national ranking since the 2008 season. The Aggies have the No. 1 RPI in the country, while their 15 wins against top 50 RPI teams ranks third-most nationally. As of Wednesday, the Aggies are fourth in the nation in hit-by-pitches (46), 10th in on-base percentage (.451) and 14th in batting average (.352). Their 292 total runs are the 16th-most in the country and their 350 hits rank 19th. The Aggie pitching staff boasts a 2.25 ERA, standing 13th in the NCAA, while their WHIP of 1.15 is the 18th best. Individually, Mya Perez ranks No. 9 in the country with 55 RBI, and her .577 on-base percentage is the 11th best. Amari Harper ranks sixth in hit-by-pitch (13), 15th in on-base percentage (.567), and 23rd in batting average (.463).
AGGIES IN THE SEC
Under Ford, the Maroon & White have won 14 of 20 SEC series and finished five positions higher in the league’s final standings than predicted in each season’s SEC coach’s preseason polls. The Aggies are currently in third place after five weekends of SEC action with an 8-3 record. Texas A&M’s pitching staff leads the league by holding opponents to a .213 batting average, and the 58 hits allowed are the fewest among the 15 teams. Offensively, the Maroon & White ranks near the top of the league, including No. 2 in on-base percentage (.412) and No. 3 in batting average (.313), while leading the SEC in stolen bases (11). Individually, Amari Harper leads the conference in batting average (.600), on-base percentage (.696), and hit-by-pitches (5), while ranking second in slugging percentage (1.133). Kennedy Powell’s five stolen bases are tied for the league-best, while Emiley Kennedy has silenced opposing hitters with the SEC’s third-best opposing batting average at .179. Texas A&M has won three of four series this season, including a two-game series sweep at No. 16 Georgia and a three-game series sweep at No. 22 Auburn. The Aggies claimed the home series over No. 24 Alabama while taking only one game in a three-game set against No. 4 Florida at Davis. Since joining the SEC in 2013, the Aggies have swept a conference opponent on the road only five times, and they have accomplished this in every road series this season.
HOME SWEET HOME
The Aggies have put on a show for the 12th Man with a 20-4 record and outscoring their opponents 177-67 this season at Davis Diamond. Texas A&M is averaging .359 on the dish while holding the opposition to a .229 batting average. Individually, Harper (.500), Perez (.491), and Powell (.425) are each batting over .425 at home, while Perez leads the team with seven home runs, and Powell leads with 26 runs. A&M last completed a nine-game homestand from March 21-April 2, finishing 8-1, including an SEC series win over No. 24 Alabama and a non-conference sweep of LMU. During the homestand, the Aggies batted .421 at the plate and outscored their opponents 78-20 while winning via run rule in five games.
PROMOTIONS
Friday is BTHO Cancer, and all cancer survivors are invited to participate in the pregame on-field recognition. To participate, meet at Guest Services on the third base concourse by 5:30 p.m. on game day. Saturday is Maroon Out, free Maroon Out t-shirts will be available for the first 1,500 fans at the main entrance of Davis Diamond. Saturday also features postgame autographs from select members of the Aggie softball team at the end of the game. The weekend wraps up with a postgame run the bases on Sunday. Kids 12 and under are invited to run the bases at Davis Diamond at the end of the game.
PARKING
Due to an event scheduled at Reed Arena on Friday night, parking will be $5 for fans in the 100d and Reed Arena lots who can provide proof of a game ticket. Otherwise, parking will be $10. For more information on parking, ticketing and promotions visit gameday.12thman.com/softball.