No. 5 Aggies take series opener in run-rule win over LMU, 13-1
Game #35: No. 5 Texas A&M 13, Loyola Marymount 1 (5 innings)
Records: Texas A&M (29-5, 6-3), LMU (14-18, 0-0)
WP: Emiley Kennedy (10-3)
LP: Jessica Hubbard (5-9)
Box Score
In a run-rule victory at Davis Diamond, No. 5 Texas A&M’s offense stole the show in five powerful innings against Loyola Marymount, 13-1.
Despite the overcast weather, the energy was off the charts, the bats were swinging, and the Aggies were competing.
In the first inning, LMU pitcher Jessica Hubbard walked Kennedy Powell and Amari Harper, who scored courtesy of Mac Barbara and Koko Wooley.
On the defensive side, Emiley Kennedy hit back-to-back batters in the second inning, but after a pep talk from head coach Trisha Ford, “Lefty” found redemption, securing her third strikeout of the evening and concluding a second scoreless inning.
“It was really more of a very business-like conversation,” Ford said. “It’s like, ‘Hey, you’re getting angry at yourself. We know this doesn’t go down the right rail, so let’s go back to being a surgeon. Spin the ball, and work your zones.’”
Kennedy took Ford’s advice to get out of her own way, registering six strikeouts in Friday night’s win.
Battling recent injury, Kennedy was glad to back in the circle, yet glad she has depth to back her up.
“It’s good to know that I have someone behind me just in case I have a bad day,” Kennedy said. “I wasn’t allowed to have a bad day last year, so it’s good to have more than one behind me.”
In the third, the Ags very own Ojo Johnson hit her second homer of the season over left field, bringing the score to 3-0.
“We were putting good swings on good pitches,” Ford said.
Some beautiful defense from Barbara on first kept the Lions off base to back up Kennedy’s show in the circle.
Harper doubled to left center to kick off the third inning for the Maroon & White, causing the Lions to switch it up and relieve Jessica Hubbard with Angela Carrera.
Allie Enright’s single brought home Harper for her after a single from Wooley loaded the bases.
On a throwing error by the Lions, Enright and Wooley scored, unearned, bringing the score to a whopping 6-0 after the third.
The Lions just couldn’t shake “Lefty” in the circle as she proved that the Ags' defense was no match for LMU’s barrels.
On back-to-back plays, Powell scored on a throwing error by Lions third baseman Emma Gutierrez, and Kelsey Mathis doubled, bringing Harper home once again.
After Mathis’ big hit, Mina Tala relieved Carrera in the circle in the fourth to try and put out the fire in the Ag’s bats, but they continued to heat up.
The Maroon & White kept the hits coming as a single up from Frankie Vrazel plated a pair of runs, followed by a sac fly from DeeDee Baldwin and a double by Hailey Golden to score three more.
Loyola Marymount disrupted Kennedy’s shutout as Sakora Harvell’s RBI single put the Lions on the board.
The Aggies will look to claim the series on Saturday, March 29 at 4 p.m. CT.
