BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Texas A&M softball (8-0) senior hurler Makinzy Herzog tossed her second-career no-hitter, finishing with nine strikeouts in the six-inning 9-1 win over Kansas (5-2) to open the Texas A&M Invitational.
The Aggies returned to the field 30 minutes later and battled with Missouri State (1-6), coming out on top, 4-1, with freshman Emiley Kennedy earning her third victory of the season in the circle. A total of 1,848 fans came out to support the Maroon and White making it the 10th-most attended game at Davis Diamond.
TOP OFFENSIVE PLAYERS
vs. Kansas – W, 9-1 (6 inn.)
vs. Kansas – W, 9-1 (6 inn.)
vs. Kansas – W, 9-1 (6 inn.)
vs. Missouri State – W, 4-1
vs. Missouri State – W, 4-1
vs. Missouri State – W, 4-1
Head coach Jo Evans
Opening statement…
"I'm really pleased with the way our team played today, (we had) two solid wins. Especially in game two, where Missouri State is a really good ball club, and their pitcher does a nice job. For us to go out there against [Missouri State pitcher] Dickerson and score some runs and chase her, I was impressed with what we did out there."
On A&M's pitching performance…
"Our pitching was great today. You look at Makinzy Herzog and what she did in the circle in game one, throwing a no-hitter, and having complete control the entire game and not getting hit hard at all and our defense took care of business. Emiley Kennedy went out there in the second game and settled in after the first inning and just made short work of the game."
Senior utility player Makinzy Herzog
On throwing the no-hitter…
"It felt awesome. I kind of just had to not think about it, because when you think about it, that's when they usually end up getting a hit. My defense just did really well behind me and Mayce (Allen) did really well behind the plate to give me strikes and offensively, just doing what we do – all of that contributed to me getting that no-hitter."
UP NEXT
Texas A&M continues the Texas A&M Invitational on Saturday with games against Stephen F. Austin and Pitt at 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., respectively. Tickets are available for purchase at 12thMan.com/SoftballTickets and the full tournament schedule can be found here.
To learn more about Texas A&M softball, log on to 12thMan.com or follow @AggieSoftball on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
The Aggies returned to the field 30 minutes later and battled with Missouri State (1-6), coming out on top, 4-1, with freshman Emiley Kennedy earning her third victory of the season in the circle. A total of 1,848 fans came out to support the Maroon and White making it the 10th-most attended game at Davis Diamond.
TOP OFFENSIVE PLAYERS
vs. Kansas – W, 9-1 (6 inn.)
- Morgan Smith: 2-for-2, R, 3 RBI, 2 BB, 2B
- Rylen Wiggins: 2-for-3, R, 2 RBI, HR
- Trinity Cannon: 1-for-3, R, 3 RBI, 2B
vs. Kansas – W, 9-1 (6 inn.)
- Makinzy Herzog: 6.0 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 9 K – second-career no-hitter
vs. Kansas – W, 9-1 (6 inn.)
- Haley Lee's reached base streak continued, drawing a walk in the opening frame. A bases-clearing double by Trinity Cannon helped A&M jump on the board, while an RBI double from Rylen Wiggins gave the Aggies a 4-0 advantage after one inning of play.
- Kansas scratched an unearned run on the board in the top of the second, but an RBI single up the middle by Morgan Smith helped the Aggies regain a four-run cushion in the home half of the inning.
- A 230-foot bomb over the centerfield wall by Rylen Wiggins highlighted the bottom of the third.
- Makinzy Herzog went to work in the circle, fanning nine in her efforts to toss the complete game no-hitter.
vs. Missouri State – W, 4-1
- Mayce Allen: 1-for-3, HR
- Koko Wooley: 2-for-4, R, 2 3B
vs. Missouri State – W, 4-1
- Emiley Kennedy: 7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K
vs. Missouri State – W, 4-1
- A wild pitch helped the Bears score in the opening frame, before a play made by Koko Wooley from her knees at shortstop slammed the door on the inning. The Aggies scratched a run on the board after a passed ball by the Bears with bases loaded to level the score at one-all.
- An RBI double to centerfield from Rylen Wiggins brought Morgan Smith home to push the Aggies ahead, 2-1, in the third.
- Mayce Allen went opposite field for the second time this week to give A&M a 3-1 lead in the fourth.
- The Aggies tacked another run on the board in the bottom of the sixth, before sealing their eighth win of the season on a ground out back to pitcher Emiley Kennedy.
Head coach Jo Evans
Opening statement…
"I'm really pleased with the way our team played today, (we had) two solid wins. Especially in game two, where Missouri State is a really good ball club, and their pitcher does a nice job. For us to go out there against [Missouri State pitcher] Dickerson and score some runs and chase her, I was impressed with what we did out there."
On A&M's pitching performance…
"Our pitching was great today. You look at Makinzy Herzog and what she did in the circle in game one, throwing a no-hitter, and having complete control the entire game and not getting hit hard at all and our defense took care of business. Emiley Kennedy went out there in the second game and settled in after the first inning and just made short work of the game."
Senior utility player Makinzy Herzog
On throwing the no-hitter…
"It felt awesome. I kind of just had to not think about it, because when you think about it, that's when they usually end up getting a hit. My defense just did really well behind me and Mayce (Allen) did really well behind the plate to give me strikes and offensively, just doing what we do – all of that contributed to me getting that no-hitter."
UP NEXT
Texas A&M continues the Texas A&M Invitational on Saturday with games against Stephen F. Austin and Pitt at 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., respectively. Tickets are available for purchase at 12thMan.com/SoftballTickets and the full tournament schedule can be found here.
To learn more about Texas A&M softball, log on to 12thMan.com or follow @AggieSoftball on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.