Softball Powers Past Islanders, Mavericks on Day One of Aggie Classic

Friday, February 11

Bryan-College Station

3:00 PM

Texas A&M

1-0

A&M-Corpus Christi

0-2

A&M-Corpus Christi

Texas A&M

Photo by: Kate Luffman/Texas A&M Athletics

Feb 11, 2022 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Photo Gallery

By: Shelby Hild, Athletics Communications

BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The Texas A&M softball team (2-0) opened its 2022 campaign with two run-rule wins on Friday.

A pair of home runs from Trinity Cannon ended each game early, as the Aggies sealed the 9-1 win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (0-2) in six innings while besting UT Arlington (0-2), 9-0, in five innings.

With the season-opening victory over the Islanders, head coach Jo Evans moved to a perfect 26-0 in home openers. Senior standout Haley Lee carried over her 16-game reached base streak from 2021, registering a pair of hits in each contest, while Cannon finished opening day with three homers.

TOP OFFENSIVE PLAYERS
vs. A&M-Corpus Christi – W, 9-1 (6 inn.)

Rylen Wiggins: 1-for-2, 2 R, BB, RBI
Katie Dack: 1-for-2, HR, 2 RBI
Trinity Cannon: 2-for-2, 3 R, 2 RBI, BB, HR

PITCHING BREAKDOWN
vs. A&M-Corpus Christi – W, 9-1 (6 inn.)

Kayla Poynter: 5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 4 BB, 5 K
Emiley Kennedy: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K

KEY INNINGS / NOTABLES
vs. A&M-Corpus Christi – W, 9-1 (6 inn.)

Haley Lee registered the first hit of the game, and first of 2022 for the Aggies, in the opening frame to continue her hitting streak from last season.
With bases loaded in the third, Morgan Smith got drilled by a pitch for the second time in as many at-bats to drive Rylen Wiggins home to put A&M ahead, 1-0.
Katie Dack launched her first career homer in the fourth, bringing Trinity Cannon home with her, to give the Aggies a 3-0 advantage. A sac fly to left field from Lee drove Wiggins home for the second time to give A&M a four-run cushion, before the Islanders escaped the inning.
A&M-Corpus Christi scratched a run on the board in the top of the fifth to cut into the Aggies' lead, but the Maroon and White responded with a trio of runs to jump out to a 7-1 advantage.
A two-run home run by Cannon lifted A&M to the 9-1 win in six innings.

TOP OFFENSIVE PLAYERS
vs. UT Arlington – W, 9-0 (5 inn.)

Trinity Cannon: 2-for-3, 2 R, 3 RBI, HR
Shaylee Ackerman: 1-for-2, 1 R, 3 RBI

PITCHING BREAKDOWN
vs. UT Arlington – W, 9-0 (5 inn.)

Makinzy Herzog: 5.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 7 K

KEY INNINGS / NOTABLES
vs. UT Arlington – W, 9-0 (5 inn.)

It was a pitcher's duel in game two, as the competing hurlers combined for just three hits through three-and-a-half innings. Makinzy Herzog fanned five batters while giving up just one hit in that stretch.
Back-to-back jacks by Shaylee Ackerman and Trinity Cannon broke open scoring in the home half of the fourth, giving A&M a 4-0 advantage. Rylen Wiggins got in on the long ball action, lifting a two-run homer over the wall to push the Aggies ahead, 6-0. An RBI single by Haley Lee capped the seven-run frame for the home team.
Junior Hailey Gallegos stepped in to pinch hit in the fifth and delivered her first career hit.
For the second-straight game, Cannon delivered a home run to end the game early, giving A&M the 9-0 victory in five innings.

WHAT THEY SAID
Head coach Jo Evans
On the team's progress…
"I think that's the thing. We expect the progress because we see it every day at practice and in batting practice. We've made such good progress already this offseason. With (Trinity) Cannon, I felt like at the end of last season, there was a lot on the table. This kid has a lot more in her and she's made just the slight little adjustment in her swing, and it's made all the difference in the world. And Rylen Wiggins, people are wondering where she got that power, but she's in practice and we've seen that all fall. I've been really pleased with that and that she can take that in the game and get that done. I'm happy to see the production from everyone and we need that."

Sophomore third baseman Trinity Cannon
On improving her technique …
"I just feel like we've simplified everything, and I've slowed down everything that's going into my swing. With that comes patience and looking for what I want. With this team, I just felt like it's been so much more fun and when it's so much more fun, I just get a lot more confident."

Junior utility player Shaylee Ackerman
On this season's mindset…
"I think the first game, I kind of got a little ahead of myself. I kind of got a little excited. You know, the first day out and it's an exciting day. This year, I'm really focused on my process and taking it one at-bat at a time and game-by-game, and just keeping it simple."

UP NEXT
Texas A&M returns to the field tomorrow for a matchup with UTA and Western Kentucky at 12 p.m. and 3:30 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.