GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Texas A&M softball team dropped game one of the Gainesville Super Regional against Florida, 5-4, Thursday night at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
The Aggies (43-17) held a 4-2 advantage heading into the final frame but a solo home run and a pair of unearned runs on bases-loaded walks doomed Texas A&M.
The offense jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the third as Sarah Hudek drove in two on a bases-loaded single, before Samantha Show scored on a passed ball. Kaitlyn Alderink scored the final run for the Maroon & White as the junior belted a solo homer in the fourth.
Trinity Harrington suffered the loss to move to 13-6 on the season. The senior threw 6.2 innings allowing five hits, two earned runs with five strikeouts.
Florida's (54-8) Kelly Barnhill gave up four runs with three hits while striking out eight in a complete game effort.
KEY INNINGS
T3 | The Aggies quickly loaded the bases with one out on a hit by pitch and two walks, before Sarah Hudek drove in Kylie George and Erica Russell on a single to right. Samantha Show touched home on a passed ball to cap off the frame. A&M 3, UF 0
B3 | Florida responded with a run as Amanda Lorenz doubled home Sophia Reynoso. A&M 3, UF 1
T4 | Texas A&M added to the lead as Kaitlyn Alderink led off the frame with her second home run of the season. A&M 4, UF 1
B4 | The Gators scored an unearned on a Janell Wheaton RBI single to left. A&M 4, UF 2
B7 | Lorenz started the rally with a solo home run to right, before a pair of unearned runs scored on two bases-loaded walks. UF 5, A&M 4
Top Offensive Players:
Sarah Hudek | 1-for-3, 2 RBI
Kaitlyn Alderink | 1-for-3, HR, RBI
Pitching Breakdown:
Trinity Harrington | L, 6.2 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 2 ER, 6 BB, 5 SO
WHAT THEY SAID
Texas A&M Head Coach Jo Evans
On tonight's game…
"I liked our fight tonight. We came here to win. We had full confidence in our ability to win. I thought Trinity went out and threw a heck of a game. She gave us a chance. We told our pitchers to give us a chance by throwing strikes and going after their hitters. She gave us a chance to win the ballgame. She threw two groundballs in that seventh inning to give us a win and we just didn't execute.
"I was proud of our hitters on being aggressive. We took a page out of Florida's book in terms of getting our walks and coming up with timely hits. Sarah Hudek had a big hit for us early on. Kaitlyn Alderink had some quality at bats for us tonight and hit that home run. It is a very disappointing loss for us."
ON DECK
Game two of the series begins at 6 p.m. on ESPN. The game can also be heard locally on Willy 1550 AM.
STAY CONNECTED
Fans can follow the Aggies wherever they go by following @AggieSoftball on Instagram and Twitter or on Facebook at Facebook.com/TAMUSoftball.
The Aggies (43-17) held a 4-2 advantage heading into the final frame but a solo home run and a pair of unearned runs on bases-loaded walks doomed Texas A&M.
The offense jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the third as Sarah Hudek drove in two on a bases-loaded single, before Samantha Show scored on a passed ball. Kaitlyn Alderink scored the final run for the Maroon & White as the junior belted a solo homer in the fourth.
Trinity Harrington suffered the loss to move to 13-6 on the season. The senior threw 6.2 innings allowing five hits, two earned runs with five strikeouts.
Florida's (54-8) Kelly Barnhill gave up four runs with three hits while striking out eight in a complete game effort.
T3 | The Aggies quickly loaded the bases with one out on a hit by pitch and two walks, before Sarah Hudek drove in Kylie George and Erica Russell on a single to right. Samantha Show touched home on a passed ball to cap off the frame. A&M 3, UF 0
B3 | Florida responded with a run as Amanda Lorenz doubled home Sophia Reynoso. A&M 3, UF 1
T4 | Texas A&M added to the lead as Kaitlyn Alderink led off the frame with her second home run of the season. A&M 4, UF 1
B4 | The Gators scored an unearned on a Janell Wheaton RBI single to left. A&M 4, UF 2
B7 | Lorenz started the rally with a solo home run to right, before a pair of unearned runs scored on two bases-loaded walks. UF 5, A&M 4
Top Offensive Players:
Sarah Hudek | 1-for-3, 2 RBI
Kaitlyn Alderink | 1-for-3, HR, RBI
Pitching Breakdown:
Trinity Harrington | L, 6.2 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 2 ER, 6 BB, 5 SO
Texas A&M Head Coach Jo Evans
On tonight's game…
"I liked our fight tonight. We came here to win. We had full confidence in our ability to win. I thought Trinity went out and threw a heck of a game. She gave us a chance. We told our pitchers to give us a chance by throwing strikes and going after their hitters. She gave us a chance to win the ballgame. She threw two groundballs in that seventh inning to give us a win and we just didn't execute.
"I was proud of our hitters on being aggressive. We took a page out of Florida's book in terms of getting our walks and coming up with timely hits. Sarah Hudek had a big hit for us early on. Kaitlyn Alderink had some quality at bats for us tonight and hit that home run. It is a very disappointing loss for us."
Game two of the series begins at 6 p.m. on ESPN. The game can also be heard locally on Willy 1550 AM.
Fans can follow the Aggies wherever they go by following @AggieSoftball on Instagram and Twitter or on Facebook at Facebook.com/TAMUSoftball.