No. 6 Aggies earn pair of neutral-site wins over Florida A&M on Friday

Game #12: No. 6 Texas A&M 11, Florida A&M 2
Records: Texas A&M (11-1, 0-0), Florida A&M (3-5, 0-0)
WP: Sydney Lessentine (3-0)
LP: Zoryana Hughes (2-1)
Box Score

Game #13: No. 6 Texas A&M 12, Florida A&M 1 (5 innings)
Records: Texas A&M (12-1, 0-0), Florida A&M (3-6, 0-0)
WP: Grace Sparks (2-0)
LP: Amari Brown (1-2)
Box Score

The following is a press release from Texas A&M Athletics

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Texas A&M’s Sydney Lessentine set a program single game strikeout record silencing 19 Rattlers in an 11-2 win, while the Aggies claimed their 12th win of the season in a 12-1 run-rule in game two to complete the doubleheader sweep of Florida A&M on Friday at the JoAnne Graf Classic.

Lessentine fanned 19-of-25 batters that stepped in the box and began the game striking out the first five batters, before yielding her lone walk of the game. Lessentine carried a no-hitter through 4.2 innings of work, before Florida A&M (3-7) strung together back-to-back doubles. The freshman responded by ringing up the next 10 batters, including four caught looking. Lessentine’s 19 punchies are the most in the NCAA this season in a seven-inning game, while being only one of three pitchers in the nation this season to have registered 15-plus strikeouts in a seven-inning game and the only freshman to do so.

In game one, Texas A&M (12-1) tallied 11 runs on seven hits, including round trippers by Mya Perez and KK Dement who each registered three RBI. Texas A&M had 15 players see action, including nine different Aggies scoring a run.

After yielding a run in the top half of the first inning in game two, Ol’ Sarge’s charges answered with three runs in the bottom half. Texas A&M added a pair of runs in the second inning to carry a 5-1 lead into the bottom of the third before Perez blasted a two-run shot to put the Aggies in the driver’s seat in run-rule territory, 10-1. A pair of RBI singles made it a dozen runs, before Grace Sparks sat the Rattlers down in order to earn her second win of the season.

UP NEXT
Texas A&M plays host No. 8 Florida State in a Saturday doubleheader beginning with game one at 2 p.m. and game two 30 minutes after the conclusion of game one.

NOTES
Freshman Sydney Lessentine totaled 124 pitches, including 81 strikes for a 65.3 strike percentage. Lessentine finished the day 7.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 19 K.

Freshmen Kelsey Mathis, Larisa Perez and Harley Vestal each registered their first career at-bats. Vestal recorded a hit, while Mathis and Perez walked in their first times in the box.

Sophomore Mya Perez homered in each game and totaled seven RBI on the day to bring her season totals to a team leading three home runs and 23 RBI.

Despite seeing an 11-game hit streak snapped, Kennedy Powell extended her on-base streak to 13 games after she earned a walk in game one and a hit by pitch in game two. The junior went 1-for-5, 1 2B, 4 R, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 2 SB.

Graduate Mac Barbara started game one at designated player, which marked her 175th career start. She finished the game 1-for-3, 2 BB, 1 R.

Grace Sparks earned her second win of the season and 15th of her career, she went 5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 6 K.
Texas A&M outscored Florida A&M 23-3 on the day, while Aggie hitters were walked 17 times and struck out five times.