The No. 22/23 Texas A&M softball team heads back to the West Coast to take on the field of the 2015 Mary Nutter Classic in Cathedral City, California. The Aggies will open with weekend with a noon contest against BYU on Friday, Feb. 20. On Saturday, Feb. 21, the Aggies will face UCSB and Cal State Fullerton at 11:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., respectively. The weekend will close with a doubleheader on Sunday, Feb. 22, as A&M faces off against Syracuse and Stanford.
This is the Aggies' second trip to California in the 2015 season, with the ball club holding a 3-2 record in the state after the SoCal Collegiate Classic.
Fans unable to attend the game can listen to it live on 12thMan.com or RadioAggieland.com. Each game this season can be heard worldwide on HD radio or smartphone via 95.1-3 The Zone HD. Download the RadioAggieland app to listen to the games, or tune in online. Additionally, each game on the Aggies' home slate will be broadcast on SEC Network +, with seven contests on the ESPN family of channels.
Instantaneous live mobile stats can be seen from any mobile device, as well as any computer at TAMUstats.com. Live stats will also be available for every game of the 2015 season through 12thMan.com. Click on the live stats link on the Aggie softball schedule page any time after first pitch to follow the action.
AT FIRST GLANCE
The Aggies are currently riding a 7-4 record, most recently falling 5-1 in a close contest against No. 2 Oregon. Texas A&M will face nine ranked opponents before the 2015 season is over and is currently 1-2 against the top 25 after splitting games with No. 10/12 UCLA at the SoCal Collegiate Classic. Returning five starters and four pitchers, the Aggies bring back experienced talent while also welcoming a crop of seven fresh faces to the diamond. Despite returning 13 letterwinners and four pitchers, Texas A&M will take the field without its top three hitters last season but sophomore April Ryan, who looks to pick up where her teammates left off, is coming off a season where she hit .295 with 14 doubles and 40 RBIs. The Aggies also bring back their top two pitchers in seniors Rachel Fox and Katie Marks. The duo combined for 15 wins and Fox led the team with 123 strikeouts.
LAST AT BAT
The Aggies went 4-1 in their home opening weekend during the Aggie Classic. A&M opened with an 8-0 run-rule victory over Penn State and followed with a 6-1 victory over Eastern Michigan. A&M got a second chance at their Friday opponents, splitting games on Saturday with another victory over Eastern Michigan before falling 4-3 in an eight-inning contest with Penn State. Coach Evans and the team rebounded to win a 2-1 defensive battle against Missouri State to close the weekend. On Wednesday, the Aggies faced No. 2 Oregon in a midweek game featuring the highest ranked opponent to visit the Aggie Softball complex since 2006. Both teams scored in the second inning and Oregon took a 2-1 soon after that held most of the game. The Ducks widened the gap with a four-run seventh inning to officially put away the Aggies 5-1.
SCOUTING BYU
Following a 4-1 showing last weekend, BYU softball returns to action against UC Santa Barbara, Maryland, No. 22 Texas A&M, Indiana and Oregon State Thursday through Saturday in Cathedral City, California. The Cougars (6-4) will be tested this weekend in the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic where three of the five opponents have winning records and two are either ranked or are receiving votes. From the circle, McKenna Bull will lead the charge with her 6-1mark to go along with 43 strikeouts and a 2.63 ERA
SCOUTING UCSB
Last week, UCSB (3-7) hosted its annual Gaucho Classic, as it hosted Pittsburgh, Rutgers, and St. Mary's (Calif.). While the Gauchos opened the tournament on a high note with a 5-3 win over the Scarlet Knights, the team went winless through the rest of the tournament, finishing 1-4. As a team, UCSB hit for .388 at the Gaucho Classic as five players colelcted at least four hits. The Gauchos' all-time record against A&M is 1-3, with the most recent outing resulting in a 8-0 run-rule victory for the Aggies.
SCOUTING CAL STATE FULLERTON
Cal State Fullerton is off to a 7-3 start in 2015, following a turn at the same season-opening tournament as the Aggies, the SoCal Collegiate Classic. The Titans will face three ranked squads over weekend, all of which are from the Southeastern Conference. Cal State Fullerton recently dropped out of both Top 25 polls but is still receiving votes.
SCOUTING SYRACUSE
The Orange is off to a 4-6 start to open 2015, including a two-game losing streak heading into the weekend. The most recent outing was a 4-3 loss to Akron, where Syracuse just couldn't hold off a late rally from the Zips.
SCOUTING STANFORD
Stanford is off to an 8-4 season and is receiving votes in both major Top 25 polls. The Cardinal will look to carry its momentum into this weekend when it travels to Cathedral City, California, for the Mary Nutter Classic. Four of the five teams Stanford will see are either ranked or receiving votes in at least one of the two national polls.
HOME RUN TANK
The Aggies have exhibited some powerful hitting over the past two weekends. Here is a list of players who have made deposits in the home run tank so far during the 2015 season:
GRAND SLAMS:
1 Cali Lanphear - Feb. 6 vs Utah
Tori Vidales - Feb. 7 vs UCLA
HOME RUNS:
3 Tori Vidales
2 April Ryan
1 Reagan Boenker
Breanna Dozier
OH WHAT A RELIEF IT IS
The Aggies have been making full use of their pitching staff, with the relief pitchers shining in early weeks of play. Senior Lauren Ainsley and junior Katie Marks has particularly strong performances at the SoCal Collegiate Classic and senior Rachel Fox proved she can do more than take over from the top at the Aggie Classic.
GOING BACK TO CALI
The Aggies have become a mainstay in several California tournaments, taking at least one trip to the West Coast over the past four seasons. Texas A&M has a 19-11 record in the Golden State since 2011 including a 5-0 turn to open the 2014 season in Santa Barbara and 3-2 finish at the 2015 SoCal Collegiate Classic. The Aggies will return to California for the Mary Nutter Classic the third weekend of February.
THE 2015 AGGIES
In its third season in the Southeastern Conference, Texas A&M welcomes seven newcomers to the 2015 squad with freshmen Kristen Cuyos (Pearland), Erin Hoothoufd (Beach City), Kayla Ober (Katy), Hailey Rebar (San Antonio), Erica Russell (Bryan), Tori Vidales (La Porte) and Ashley Walters (Kerrville). Returning to action are five sophomores, four juniors and in incredibly experience four-member senior class. The Aggies will have to replace a prolific group of eight seniors from 2014 but retain four members of their pitching staff and several fresh faces who worked their way up the stat columns last season.
WELCOME BACK
The Aggies 13 student-athletes from the 2014 squad, including an experienced pitching staff and plenty of hitting power. Right-handed pitchers Rachel Fox and Katie Marks led the Aggies in 2014, putting together 30 wins with a combined 193 Ks. Sophomore April Ryan is A&M's leading hitter, batting .295 with 43 runs and 40 RBIs.
RANKING THE AGGIES
Texas A&M starts the 2015 season with a No. 24 preseason ranking in both national polls. The Aggies' remaining 2015 opponents in the top 25 are No. 1 Florida, No. 2 Oregon, No. 3/5 Alabama, No. 12 UCLA, No. 11/9 Kentucky, No. 14/15 LSU and No. 16/17 Auburn. In addition, South Carolina, Cal State Fullerton, San Diego State and Mississippi State are receiving votes.
SEC PRESEASON POLL
The Southeastern Conference coaches predicted a No. 9 finish for the Aggies in 2015, finishing behind No. 1 Florida, No. 2 Alabama, No. 3 Kentucky, No. 4 LSU, No. 5 Georgia, No. 6 Missouri, No. 7 Auburn and No. 8 Tennessee. Rounding out the preseason poll are No. 10 South Carolina, No. 11 Mississippi State, No. 12 Arkansas and No. 13 Ole Miss. Nine of the 13 SEC softball teams appeared among the nation's top-25 in the USA Today/NFCA Preseason Poll. Points for the SEC poll were awarded on a 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12 basis. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team. The SEC did away with East-West divisions after the 2012-13 season in all sports but baseball and football.
FULL FEBRUARY
With four tournaments and two nonconference midweek games at the beginning of the season, the Aggies will play over one third of their regular-season schedule in the month of February. Of the 56 scheduled games in 2015, 22 of them will take place during the first four weeks of the season.
FOLLOW THE AGGIES
Get the latest news, updates and action from Aggie Softball by following the team's official Twitter account @AggieSoftball. Fans on Facebook can also stay connected by liking the Aggie Softball page (facebook.com/TAMUSoftball).
LISTEN LIVE
Aggie Softball fans worldwide can listen to each game of the 2015 season live on AggieAthletics.com. All contests are provided by The Zone and can be heard on smartphones and HD radios via 95.1-3 The Zone HD on the Radio Aggieland app. Select games are also available in the Bryan-College Station area on Sports Radio 1150 AM. Every game will be live online at RadioAggieland.com and 12thMan.com.
MOBILE LIVE STATS
Fans who wish to follow the action of each game this season can also receive free, instantaneous live stats on any computer or smartphone by visiting TAMUstats.com. Users can access current live stats and stats from past games.
AGGIE SOFTBALL ON TV
The Aggies will play at least seven games on national TV this season, beginning with the Sunday, March 8 game against Kentucky on the SEC Network at noon CT. Of the Aggies' seven televised contests, five will be played at the Aggie Softball Complex. The Aggies will host No. 20 Auburn on ESPNU on Saturday, April 11 at 1 p.m. CT. A week earlier the Aggies and South Carolina will face off on the SEC Network – March 21-22. In addition to the seven regular-season games, each Texas A&M home game will be broadcast on the SEC Network + channel and the WatchESPN app. The entire SEC tournament, including both play-in games, will be broadcast on ESPN networks. The SEC Tournament is set for May 6-9 in Baton Rogue, La.
TICKETS
All tickets may be purchased over the phone at 1-888-99-AGGIE OR 979-845-2311, online at tickets.12thManFoundation.com, or in person at the West Side of Kyle Field ticket office. Season tickets are currently available for just $125. Individual game tickets for softball will go on sale in January and are $10 for reserved (sections 4-8) and $8 for Adult General Admission (sections 1-3). Youth GA tickets are available for $5 each. Group rates are also available to groups of at least 20, and cost $8 for reserved seats and $3 for GA. Texas A&M students with no all-sports option may purchase a student walkup ticket for $5. Junior Aggie Club members are admitted free of charge to all Aggie softball games. Membership to the JAC is just $25, and information is available at www.JuniorAggieClub.com.
UP NEXT
The Aggies return home for the final tournament of February, the Texas A&M Invitational. Texas A&M will play Boston University and Illinois State on Friday, Feb. 27, with rematches with both opponents on Saturday, Feb. 28. They'll close the weekend facing UTSA on Sunday, March 1. To learn more about Texas A&M softball, log on to 12thMan.com and follow @AggieSoftball on Twitter.