Texas A&M falls to No. 10 LSU in a shutout at Davis Diamond, 7-0
The Aggie softball team dropped the second game of the LSU series at Davis Diamond and move to 0-2 in conference play. After last night’s 17-3, 5 inning win, the Tigers continued to be the top aggressor and leave the Aggies scoreless at the plate.
Starting Pitcher Payton McBride, gave up two runs at the top of the first inning. One coming off a bunt single, and the other a home run. At the plate, the Aggies failed to score with runners at first and second base. Baylee Klinger hit a pop up to center field, and the inning ended with a grounder from McBride for the final out.
The Maroon and White stayed afloat in the second with consistent pitches from McBride. A bunt hit from LSU caused Haley Lee and McBride to scramble with a minor error, but the Aggies would escape the inning with back-to-back outs.
Midgame, the Aggies continued to struggle to prevent LSU from advancing. Elyse Thornhill would take McBride deep for a three-run home run to add onto the Tiger’s lead. Defensively, the Aggies struggled, including an overthrow from third baseman Riley Sartain and another failed attempt for an out on a bunt hit.
At the top of the sixth inning, right fielder Kylie George handeled the firts two routine outs. Then, with one run and no outs, the Aggies would bring in junior Kendall Potts in relief for McBride. Sartain and Ashlynn Walls stopped the Tigers from advancing with a double play as Potts would take A&M back to the dugout with a strikeout.
The Aggies continued their fight at the bottom of the sixth in an attempt to add runs to the board. Sartain hit a grounder along the third base foul line, and would reach the first due to a overthrow from LSU third baseman Amanda Sanchez. Runners Kelbi Fortenberry and Sartain advance to second and third base. Klinger bunted for the last out of the inning.
In the top of the seventh inning, Kylie George missed an overhead fly that advanced LSU runners to first and third base. LSU’s third base runner scored on a hit towards Potts for an out at first. In their last attempt to extend the game, the Aggies would go three up three down at the plate.
“I don’t think that she made it difficult to hit. I think that we made it difficult to hit,” said Riley Sartain. “I think we knew what she was selling but we didn’t make the necessary adjustments and attack the pitches that we needed to attack.”
After two straight losses to No. 10 LSU, the Aggies take on a positive outlook as they hope to grind out a win in tomorrow’s series finale.
“We just got to make sure we keep our confidence,” said A&M head coach Jo Evans. “It’s easy to start second guessing yourself and it’s not a way you want to play a game – offensively or defensively.”
The first pitch this Sunday is scheduled for 3 p.m. at Davis Diamond.