Cottrill Has Aggies Punching Back

On a chamber of commerce day in Aggieland, the straits were dire for the Maroon & White as they headed into the home half of the fourth with a 4-1 deficit in Sunday’s rubber match against the Missouri Tigers. 

On the heels of an 8-1 loss to Missouri on Saturday, the Aggies yielded a four-spot to the Tigers in the second inning. The trips to the plate were dwindling for Ol’ Sarge’s charges and the series looked to be slipping away.

But emblematic of what has become a hallmark of the 2023 Texas A&M softball team, the Aggies punched back.

Missouri sandwiched two outs around a three-base error on a fly ball by Rylen Wiggins, but then the Tigers were unable to escape the fourth inning. Allie Enright made sure the Maroon & White did not leave the frame empty-handed as she pounded a two-run home run. 

Then the hits just kept on coming off of NFCA Pitcher of the Week Laurin Krings – infield single for Star Ferguson, infield single for Koko Wooley, two-run single up the middle by Amari Harper as Wooley raced around from first to score with the help of a snoozing Tigers’ outfielder. After Trinity Cannon drew a five-pitch walk, Julia Cottrill delivered the final blow of the frame with a 246-foot, opposite-field home run to leftfield, staking the Aggies to an 8-4 lead. 

Cottrill put the game to bed with another three-run, opposite-field dinger in the sixth inning. It marked the second two-homer game on the weekend for the junior catcher. In Friday’s series lid lifter, she hit a pair of two-run taters, leading Texas A&M to a 6-2 victory.

The series closed with Cottrill logging four home runs and 10 RBI. After each home run, her father Jeff Cottrill was featured on the screen donning the enemy’s black and gold. The patriarch of the family is in his first season on Missouri’s coaching staff after spending the last seven seasons with Oklahoma State.

“We’re a very competitive family,” the daughter said. “We definitely had a household rivalry going on this weekend. It was very cool experience. Not many people get to play against their dad in college, so it gave me that little edge to focus a little more this weekend.” 

Despite being combatants on the field, the father and daughter continued to break bread after each game.

“It was awesome having him here,” Cottrill said. “We kept the softball talk to a minimum. He would give little, very little pieces of advice, but that was it. I would not be the softball player I am today without him. I owe most of my success to him. He was hard on me growing up, but he always just wanted the best for me.”

The weekend’s success marked the second straight series the Aggies punched back after a disappointing sweep at the hands of South Carolina two weeks ago. Last week, Texas A&M gave up the last four runs of the game, including a three-run walk-off home run in the seventh, to drop the opener at Ole Miss. But once again, Cottrill had the Aggies striking back, including an ice-breaking single in the first inning and a two-run double in the fourth as the Maroon & White cruised to the 6-3 win on Saturday before taking Sunday’s rubber game, 13-8.

With Sunday’s win, the Aggies closed out SEC play with a 12-12 season. Wins like they experienced the last two weekends were few and far between the last four years. The Maroon & White lived through a lifetime’s worth of walk-off losses, along with many losses of the less nip-and-tuck variety as they went a combined 21-54 (.280) in league play from 2019-22. Year one under head coach Trisha Ford has Texas A&M softball headed in the right direction and Cottrill is elated to be a part of the rebuild.

“It’s amazing to be a part of this,” Cottrill said. “I think when I came on my visit, we talked about how this is going to be a learning year for everyone. You know we’re still learning everything and learning about each other, but this has been an awesome experience. I’m very thankful.”

Cottrill’s bat has supplied the Aggies’ offense with more than they could have imagined when she announced she was transferring to Texas A&M last August. She leads the squad in batting average (.368), doubles (12), home runs (8), RBI (37) and slugging percentage (.654). In league play, she’s batting .325, clubbing six doubles and six home runs with 22 RBI.

“I don’t want to think about where we would be without her,” Ford said. “Jules is the only one in our program who has been there consistently. She knows how to grind through a season. She knows what it looks like, feels like, smells like. I know we definitely wouldn’t have the success we’ve had. As much as she does on the field, she does twice as much off the field. She nurtures both of our young catchers, talks to our hitters, helps Koko mature as part of that solid play you need up the middle of the field.”

When Ford says Cottrill has been there before, she’s talking about postseason battles, including a trip to the College World Series. She is talking about Cottrill going 3-for-3 with a run and RBI in a 2-0 win over her former squad Florida while playing for Oklahoma State at last year’s CWS.

Last season, Cottrill joined her father at Oklahoma State where he was serving as an assistant coach. She played in 51 games, including 46 starts, batting .306 with five doubles, 11 home runs and 31 RBI. 

Prior to that Cottrill spent two seasons at Florida. As a freshman, she started 25 games for the Gators, batting .323 with eight doubles and 11 RBI. Cottrill earned SEC Freshman of the Week after a series against Auburn before Covid shut down the season. She ranked eighth in the nation, including third among freshmen, with her double tally before the lockdown.

The following season, Cottrill earned NFCA All-Southeast Region and SEC All-Newcomer Team distinction. She played 51 games, including 50 starts, posting a .294 batting average with 10 doubles, five home runs and 26 RBI.

After taking a circuitous route to Davis Diamond, Cottrill has forged a deep bond with her new head coach.

“I am so thankful for her,” a tearful Cottrill said. “I had a tough first three years of college. She gave me another chance to do what I love on a stage like this. I am so thankful for her and the way that she treats me like a daughter. I have a mom away from home. I am so grateful for her.”

“Jules and I are wired very similarly,” Ford said. “I think that’s why we relate really well. I’m able to love on her, but also get on her. She knows at the end of the day I have her back. I think she can take my coaching because she knows where I’m coming from. When you talk about growth on and off the field, I couldn’t be more proud of her.”

They say, ‘third time’s a charm’ and Cottrill’s college experience embodies that after her arrival in Aggieland.

“I am blessed that I have an opportunity to play softball here,” Cottrill said. “I think this is an amazing place with an amazing culture. What Coach Ford is building here is going to be tremendous.”

The next place the Fightin’ Texas Aggies look to change the trajectory of the program is the SEC Tournament where they have posted just a 1-8 record since joining the league. Following Wednesday’s regular-season finale at Houston, the Maroon & White have a weekend off before heading to Fayetteville, Arkansas for the league tournament May 9-13.