No. 17 A&M stays unbeaten with 4-1 win over Southeastern Louisiana
Game #10: No. 17 Texas A&M 4, Southeastern Louisiana 1
Records: Texas A&M (10-0), Southeastern Louisiana (9-2)
WP: Shaylee Ackerman (3-0)
LP: MC Comeaux (1-1
Box Score
No. 17 Texas A&M returned to Davis Diamond for the Texas A&M Invitational and clinched a 4-1 win over the Southeastern Louisiana Lions on Thursday night.
To start the game, Brooke Vestal and SELA’s Ellie DuBois matched each other in the circle.
Vestal closed the top of the first with a strikeout as she finished with a total of four strikeouts on the evening
“I was pleased with Brooke battling through,” said A&M head coach Trisha Ford. “We hadn’t given her any run support yet, and Shaylee (Ackerman) did a tremendous job coming in and closing it out.”
Offensively, A&M was held in check until the fourth.
In the first, Koko Wooley led off with a bunt single but was later called out for leaving first base. Julia Cottrill then hit a double to the left field wall, but the Aggies failed to capitalize.
A&M did not register a hit in the second or third innings, leaving a trio of free base runners stranded.
“The biggest thing is that we don’t stress,” Jazmine Hill said. “We don’t panic and continue to hit good balls, and eventually they will fall.”
The action picked up in the fourth, and the visitors struck first.
Lexi Johnson secured a single to right field to score Maria Detillier for a 1-0 lead.
After the RBI base hit, Ford brought in the right-handed Ackerman to take advantage of some matchups that would ultimately throw off the Lions’ offense.
It proved to be a good move.
Ackerman quickly ended the top of the fourth with a strikeout of Audrey Greely.
“I was just trying to keep it calm,” Ackerman said. “Calm everyone else down and come in and hit spots.”
The Aggie offense responded quickly as Hill hit a double to center field, and Keely Williams brought her in with a single to center field to tie the game.
Later in the fourth, Kramer Eschete rounded home on an error by the shortstop. Then, on an Amari Harper single to right field, Allie Enright scored to make it 3-1.
We have a ball game.
“I am always going to bet on us, but I thought they did a great job,” Ford said. “We kept passing the bat, passing information back and forth and making sure we were staying connected to our plan.”
A 1-2-3 top of the fifth ensured the momentum stayed in the Maroon & White’s favor.
Once the Aggies returned to the plate, Hill cranked a solo home run to give A&M a three-run edge, 4-1.
From there, Ackerman kept the Lions at bay as she tallied five punchouts to earn the win in relief.
“We hit a lot of hard balls at people, and it just wasn't falling tonight,” Ford said. “I think we did a really great job at battling through those and getting a W.”
The Aggies ended Thursday with a 10-0 record on the season and look to continue this streak as the Texas A&M Invitational continues with a Friday doubleheader.
A&M faces St. Thomas at 5:15 p.m. CT before taking on North Dakota State at 7 p.m. CT.