News release from Texas A&M Athletics:
The No. 15 Texas A&M softball team run-ruled UConn, 17-3, in five innings Friday afternoon at Davis Diamond to open the College Station Regional.
Texas A&M (37-17) scored a program-record 13 runs in the second inning, highlighted by back-to-back-to-back home runs, before adding four more runs to cruise past UConn (31-27). Eleven Aggies scored at least one run, including six who crossed the plate multiple times.
KK Dement paced the offense, going 3-for-3 with a home run, double and three RBI, while Ariel Kowalewski went 2-for-2 with a grand slam and four RBI. Micaela Wark, Kelsey Mathis and Mya Perez each added home runs.
Sidne Peters (15-5) earned the win after tossing 3.0 innings with seven strikeouts, allowing just one run on one hit. The junior threw 34 strikes on 48 pitches for a 71% strike rate.
After a scoreless first inning, Texas A&M opened the scoring in the second inning when Dement doubled to right-center field to plate a pair of Aggies. The Aggies extended the lead capitalizing on UConn miscues, including two runs scored on passed balls and another run crossing on a single to right field paired with a throwing error for a 5-0 advantage.
Ol’ Sarge’s charges added eight more runs in the frame, highlighted by Kowalewski’s grand slam, followed by solo home runs from Mathis and Dement. Kennedy Powell added an RBI single, while Perez drove in a run after being hit by a pitch to cap the scoring and give the Aggies a commanding 13-0 lead.
The Huskies got on the board in the third with a two-out solo home run, but pinch hitter Maddie Sauni answered with an RBI single to extend the lead to 14-1 after three innings.
Texas A&M tacked on three more runs in the fourth as Perez launched a two-run home run to right-center, followed by a solo blast from Wark to push the lead to 17-1.
UConn plated two runs on two hits in the fifth, but Sydney Lessentine closed out the contest, recording a strikeout and forcing consecutive groundouts to secure the 17-3 victory.
UP NEXT
No. 15 seed Texas A&M plays No. 19 seed Arizona State Saturday at 2 p.m. at Davis Diamond, the game can be streamed on ESPN+ and fans can listen on the 12th Man Mobile app or locally on Willy 1550 AM.
