Texas A&M run-rules No. 7 Arkansas in Fayetteville to take series, 9-1
Texas A&M softball showed out for the last game of the Arkansas series in Fayetteville by run-ruling the seventh-ranked Razorbacks, 9-1.
In head coach Trisha Ford's first weekend in the Southeastern Conference, she has already captured a massive upset of a highly-touted rival. For the first time since 2018, the Aggies won their opening conference series.
“Hopefully we’re starting to understand what makes us play Aggie softball,” Ford said.
More surprisingly, for the first time since joining the SEC in 2013, the Aggies have won their first conference road series.
A&M started hot with junior Trinity Cannon homering on the second at-bat of the afternoon as the Aggies jumped out to an early lead. They never looked back.
With the bases full of Hogs and two outs in the first, Ford pulled pitcher Madison Preston and catcher Julia Cottrill aside. Preston then induced an inning-ending ground out to escape the jam.
In the next frame, outfielder Morgan Smith launched the second home run of the game to give A&M a 2-0 lead.
Right-hander Emily Leavitt relieved Preston in the bottom of the second, and the Razorbacks got their lone run of the afternoon on a Lauren Camenzind double.
Leavitt pitched the remainder of the game and earned her fourth win of the year, allowing the one run on five hits while striking out six.
“Leavitt came in and did what Leavitt does,” Ford said.
A&M responded with a monster five-run third.
“Good energy,” Ford said. “I thought we had a really good plan.”
Cottrill singled home Cannon. Smith doubled home a pair. Riley Valentine's double plated Smith, and Rylen Wiggins brought home Valentine.
The lengthy third forced Arkansas to make two different pitching changes, and in the fifth, the Aggies pushed their advantage to eight.
A scoreless bottom of the fifth enacted the mercy rule, A&M's first rule-rule victory over a conference foe since a 9-1 rout of No. 2 Alabama on April 23, 2022.
Aggies will look to continue their momentum next weekend when they host No. 18 Georgia for a three-game set at Davis Diamond.