COLLEGE STATION – The Texas A&M softball team closed out the fall season with two decisive victories over the Galveston College Whitecaps on Thursday afternoon.
The Aggies came out hot in the first game of today's doubleheader, scoring in each of the first four innings without allowing Galveston to get anything going on offense. Senior Breanna Dozier brought home two with her two-out, two RBI single in the bottom of the fourth to bring the Aggies' lead to 4-0.
An error in the fifth gave the Whitecaps some momentum on offense but the Aggies quickly turned the tables and scored one more in the bottom of the inning.
A hit down the right field line for an early double helped the Aggies bring in two more runs, expanding their lead to 7-1 in their final at-bat of the game.
Galveston would put one more on the board but the Aggies rolled to a 7-2 victory with 5 hits and 3 errors.
Junior Katie Marks started on the mound for the Aggies in the second game and quickly took down three Whitecaps in succession. The Aggies' offense heated up and buried Galveston by 10 runs in the bottom of the first.
Sophomore April Ryan and junior Cali Lanphear both came out with singles before Ryan was driven home on a Whitecap error and Lanphear came home on freshman Tori Vidales's line drive right inside territory in third base area. Vidales was immediately sent up by freshman Erin Houthoofd ,with a single right past second base.
With no outs and two runners on, one in scoring position, sophomore Reagan Boenker made contact with the ball toward center, scoring both runners score and making it to first.
Freshman Kristin Cuyos hit a grounder past the shortstop and then past the left fielder, sending Boenker all the way home and beating the ball to second.
Erica Russell followed with a quick single, sending Cuyos home for the Aggies' sixth run of the inning. Following with no outs and one runner on at first, junior Alex Masek singled and senior Brittany Clopton was walked to load the bases.
Freshman Ashley Walters connected with the ball, sending one runner home but she was tagged out at first.
Ryan, up again, hit past the second baseman for a double with a runner tagged out at third. With two outs and a runner at second. Lanphear's single past first base inside fair territory brought Walters home.
Before Vidales was walked on a 4-1 count, Lanphear stole second for her first stolen base of the night. Houthoofd's incredible hit over the shortstop sent Lanphear home and Vidales to third before Boenker was retired to close a 10-0 inning for the Aggies.
The top of the second was an equally impressive defensive performance by the Aggies, throwing the first two batters out at first followed by another K for Marks.
The Aggies scored four more in the second, aided by a pop up right past the left fielder by Clopton, bringing two home, and a homerun by Walters, the Aggies' only homer on the day, scoring Clopton.
A&M finished up their fall exhibition slate with the Maroon and White series starting Monday. Each of the five games are free to the public and can be heard live on 95.1-3 The Zone HD and RadioAggieland.com. To learn more about Texas A&M softball, log on to AggieAthletics.com and follow @AggieSoftball on Twitter.