Courtesy of Texas A&M Athletics
LOS ANGELES, Calif. – The No. 24 Texas A&M softball team battled for a 9-5 come-from-behind victory over San Diego State before avenging a run-rule loss with a 6-4 win over No. 7 UCLA on the second day of the SoCal Collegiate Classic.
Looking to bounce back after a disappointing loss to No. 7 UCLA the night before, the Aggies fell behind 5-1 in the second inning before rallying to defeat the Aztecs 9-5. A 3 RBI homer from junior Breanna Dozier gave A&M their first lead of the game in the bottom of the fourth.
Senior Rachel Fox opened the day on the mound for the Aggies, allowing five runs on four hits. The Aztecs struck first in the top of the first, scoring on an RBI single aided by a wild pitch earlier in the inning. A&M answered when freshman Ashley Walters was walked with the bases loaded, bringing senior Brittany Clopton home.
SDSU came out blazing in the second, racing to score four runs on an RBI single, a two RBI single and a couple Aggie miscues. Senior Lauren Ainsley came in to relieve Fox and closed the inning.
The Aggies began to slowly scratch at the Aztecs’ lead, scoring one in the bottom of the third. An RBI double from Reagan Boenker, a deep ball to centerfield that took a bounce on the warning track, sent sophomore Celena Massey around the bases for her first run of the season.
A&M came out strong defensively in the fourth to shut down the rising Aztecs, fielding three hits to close the inning with Ainsley seeing only four batters. A quick shot down the middle was snagged after a bobble by freshman Erica Russell who then fired a blazing ball to Massey to catch the runner out at home.
Bottom of the fourth gave the Aggies the momentum they needed to stage a comeback, opening with a bunt by Clopton who used her speed to easily beat the ball to first. Clopton moved to second on a wild pitch and another four pitch walk for Lanphear placed runners on first and second. A line drive to center field by freshman Ashley Walters brought Clopton home and left two Aggies on the bags. A substitution sent Dozier to the plate for what turned out to be the turning point of the game. Dozier hit a homer high over the scoreboard and left field wall on the first pitch she faced, running the bases and bringing home Lanphear and Walters to give A&M a 7-5 lead.
Once Texas A&M took the lead they refused to surrender, giving up two singles in the fifth but allowing no scores. Taking the field on offense, the Aggies placed runners on first and an RBI single up the middle from Ryan brought Masek, on base in place of Boenker, across the plate for the second time that morning. A single RBI from Lanphear brings the score to 9-5 at the end of the fifth inning.
The Aggies held off the Aztecs’ attack for the next two innings to clinch their second W of the young 2015 season, aided by a diving catch from Ryan, with one foot fair, one foot foul, closed out the first game of the day for the Maroon & White.
Looking to avenge a tough loss to UCLA yesterday, the Aggies came out in a drizzle and allowed a quick run after four consecutive walks before sophomore Abby Donnell was replaced with junior Katie Marks trailing 1-0.
A&M blew the second inning wide open, scoring six in the top to take a lead they never relinquished. With Massey and Cuyos on base, a well-placed bunt from Russell loaded the bags just in time for a two RBI double from Clopton to take a 2-1 lead over the Bruins. UCLA made a pitching change after the runs, putting in senior All-American Ally Carda to try & take control of the game. Ryan took a base after being hit by a pitch for to load the base for the second time in the inning. Rising to the occasion, freshman Tori Vidales stepped up to the plate and hit her first career home run: a grand slam to give the Ags a 6-2 lead early in the game.
UCLA tried to claw their way back in, scoring single runs in the fourth, sixth and seventh innings but tough defensive stands for the Aggies held the Bruins off to take a 6-4 win and go 2-0 on the day. Vidales got under multiple bunts, a leaping catch by Russell and a timely snag by Cuyos to end the game kept A&M in front of No 7 UCLA for their third win on the young season.
Coach Evans Postgame Sound
After 9-5 win over SDSU:
“I’m really proud of our ball club. I think we did a nice job not getting down on ourselves and not panicking. The game was so long and they scored so many runs early, you can get ahead of yourself. We didn’t. We sat back and understood we are a good hitting ball club. I loved our approach and poise. For a young ball club to come out and have that kind of poise and patience, I’m really excited about that.”
After 6-4 win over UCLA:
“I’m so proud of our kids and the way we responded. They have a lot of confidence coming into this game, they started swinging their bats & feeling better about themselves. The most important thing to come out of this, besides a win, which was huge, but for us to have what happened lst night and not let it phase us. To have all these young girls on the field and on the team and have such a short memory is key.”
Let’s Hear a Hullabaloo…
… for the relief pitchers. Senior Lauren Ainsley stepped up against SDSU, came in with a 5-0 deficit and stayed calm, putting her team in the position to win. Ainsley gave up five hits but didn’t allow a single run with three strikeouts. Junior Katie Marks was in the same position against No. 7 UCLA, coming on in the first inning to give a new defensive look to the Aggies. Marks pitched 6.1 innings with three strikeouts. Gig ‘em, Lauren and Katie!
Coach Evans on senior Lauren Ainsley:
“She goes out there and gets a lazy fly to end the inning and ran with it. She was in control all day. She was absolutely terrific.”
Coach Evans on junior Katie Marks:
“We needed out pitching staff to step up and, I’ll tell you, they were terrific today. How great was Katie Marks? That’s as good as it gets. She was in control all night long.”
@AggieSoftball Quick Hits
• Freshman Tori Vidales had her first collegiate homer, a grand slam at Easton Field … one of the Aggies’ most prolific hitters on the team, junior Cali Lanphear, also had her first homer at Easton Field two years ago.
• Both relief pitchers came in and shut down the other team, allowing only eight hits and three runs in 11.2 innings.
