Thursday, February 23
Cathedral City, Calif.
7:30 PM
Texas A&M
10-2
8
vs
6
BYU
7-3
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
BYU Cougars
0
4
1
0
0
1
0
6
5
0
Texas A&M
5
3
0
0
0
0
X
8
8
3
Photo by: Sydney Morriss/Texas A&M Athletics
Aggies Open Mary Nutter Classic with Pair of Wins
Feb 24, 2023 | Softball
CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. – The Texas A&M softball team (11-2) beat BYU (7-3), 8-6, and CSUN (5-6), 3-1, to open play at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic late Thursday night at the Big League Dreams.
Relief pitching played major roles on the night as Shaylee Ackerman earned the save in game one after striking out five in 1.2 scoreless innings of work, while Emily Leavitt earned the win in game two in 3.2 innings of relief and sitting down six CSUN batters. Both pitchers were nearly flawless in relief duties keeping the opponents scoreless, while giving up only one hit.
The Maroon & White scored early and often in game one as all eight runs came in the first two innings. Freshmen duo, Amari Harper and Riley Valentine combined for five RBI, including Harper's bases-clearing double in the first inning. Valentine added security runs in the sixth with a two-run home run. Juniors Julia Cottrill and Trinity Cannon combined for four hits and three RBI.
Texas A&M mustered only three hits in game, two coming from freshman Aiyana Coleman and a solo home run by Cottrill. Koko Wooley walked to bring in the second run, while Valentine hit a sac fly to bring home the third run.
UP NEXT
The Aggies play No. 2 Oklahoma Saturday at 5 p.m. on FloSports.com.
TOP AGGIE PERFORMERS
Game One
Trinity Cannon – 2-for-3, 2 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI
Amari Harper – 2-for-2, 1 2B, 3 RBI, 1 BB
Riley Valentine – 1-for-2, 1 HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB
Emiley Kennedy (W) – 4.0 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 3 BB, 3 K
Shaylee Ackerman (S) – 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K
Game Two
Julia Cottrill – 1-for-3, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 R
Koko Wooley – 0-for-2, 2 BB, 1 RBI
Riley Valentine – 0-for-2, 1 RBI, 1 SF
Aiyana Coleman – 2-for-2
Emily Leavitt (W) – 3.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K
SCORING SUMMARY
Game One
B1 | Koko Wooley singled and stole second base before being driven by Julia Cottrill's double to left field. Trinity Cannon followed with a double of her own driving in Cottrill. A pair of walks from Riley Valentine and Allie Enright loaded the bases before Amari Harper hit a bases-clearing double. TAMU 5, BYU 0
T2 | Martha Epenesa was hit by pitch and advanced to second after Hailey Morrow walked before reaching third on a fielder's choice as Ailana Agbayani safely reached first. Alexis Gilio singled through the left side scoring Epenesa, followed by Taryn Lennon grounding out scoring Morrow. Maddie Bejarano doubled to left driving in Gilio and Agbayani. TAMU 5, BYU 4
B2 | Cottrill singled up the middle before stealing second base. Cannon registered her second double on the night driving in Cottrill before scoring a run complimentary of Valentine's two-run home run. TAMU 8, BYU 4
T3 | Jolee Benson singled through the right side and advanced after Epenesa grounded out before making it to third via wild pitch. Benson scored on a throwing error by Cottrill. TAMU 8, BYU 5
T6 | Bejarano led the inning off with a walk and advanced to second after a wild pitch. Turlington moved Bejarano to third with a ground, before Violet Zavodnik reached first on an error that scored Bejarano. TAMU 8, BYU 6
Game Two
T2 | Shaylan Whatman blasted a solo shot to left field. TAMU 0, CSUN 1
B4 | Julia Cottrill knotted the game at one after homering to right field. TAMU 1, CSUN 1
B5 | Rylen Wiggins reached first on a throwing error after a sac bunt attempt. Wiggins advanced to second on a wild pitch before Amari Harper walked and all runners advancing on a fielder's choice. Koko Wooley drew a walk to bring home Wiggins for the Aggies' first lead in the game. Valentine scored Harper via sacrifice fly. TAMU 3, CSUN 1
TEXAS A&M QUOTES
Postgame interviews are available on 12thman.com
Relief pitching played major roles on the night as Shaylee Ackerman earned the save in game one after striking out five in 1.2 scoreless innings of work, while Emily Leavitt earned the win in game two in 3.2 innings of relief and sitting down six CSUN batters. Both pitchers were nearly flawless in relief duties keeping the opponents scoreless, while giving up only one hit.
The Maroon & White scored early and often in game one as all eight runs came in the first two innings. Freshmen duo, Amari Harper and Riley Valentine combined for five RBI, including Harper's bases-clearing double in the first inning. Valentine added security runs in the sixth with a two-run home run. Juniors Julia Cottrill and Trinity Cannon combined for four hits and three RBI.
Texas A&M mustered only three hits in game, two coming from freshman Aiyana Coleman and a solo home run by Cottrill. Koko Wooley walked to bring in the second run, while Valentine hit a sac fly to bring home the third run.
UP NEXT
The Aggies play No. 2 Oklahoma Saturday at 5 p.m. on FloSports.com.
TOP AGGIE PERFORMERS
Game One
Trinity Cannon – 2-for-3, 2 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI
Amari Harper – 2-for-2, 1 2B, 3 RBI, 1 BB
Riley Valentine – 1-for-2, 1 HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB
Emiley Kennedy (W) – 4.0 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 3 BB, 3 K
Shaylee Ackerman (S) – 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K
Game Two
Julia Cottrill – 1-for-3, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 R
Koko Wooley – 0-for-2, 2 BB, 1 RBI
Riley Valentine – 0-for-2, 1 RBI, 1 SF
Aiyana Coleman – 2-for-2
Emily Leavitt (W) – 3.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K
SCORING SUMMARY
Game One
B1 | Koko Wooley singled and stole second base before being driven by Julia Cottrill's double to left field. Trinity Cannon followed with a double of her own driving in Cottrill. A pair of walks from Riley Valentine and Allie Enright loaded the bases before Amari Harper hit a bases-clearing double. TAMU 5, BYU 0
T2 | Martha Epenesa was hit by pitch and advanced to second after Hailey Morrow walked before reaching third on a fielder's choice as Ailana Agbayani safely reached first. Alexis Gilio singled through the left side scoring Epenesa, followed by Taryn Lennon grounding out scoring Morrow. Maddie Bejarano doubled to left driving in Gilio and Agbayani. TAMU 5, BYU 4
B2 | Cottrill singled up the middle before stealing second base. Cannon registered her second double on the night driving in Cottrill before scoring a run complimentary of Valentine's two-run home run. TAMU 8, BYU 4
T3 | Jolee Benson singled through the right side and advanced after Epenesa grounded out before making it to third via wild pitch. Benson scored on a throwing error by Cottrill. TAMU 8, BYU 5
T6 | Bejarano led the inning off with a walk and advanced to second after a wild pitch. Turlington moved Bejarano to third with a ground, before Violet Zavodnik reached first on an error that scored Bejarano. TAMU 8, BYU 6
Game Two
T2 | Shaylan Whatman blasted a solo shot to left field. TAMU 0, CSUN 1
B4 | Julia Cottrill knotted the game at one after homering to right field. TAMU 1, CSUN 1
B5 | Rylen Wiggins reached first on a throwing error after a sac bunt attempt. Wiggins advanced to second on a wild pitch before Amari Harper walked and all runners advancing on a fielder's choice. Koko Wooley drew a walk to bring home Wiggins for the Aggies' first lead in the game. Valentine scored Harper via sacrifice fly. TAMU 3, CSUN 1
TEXAS A&M QUOTES
Postgame interviews are available on 12thman.com
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Kennedy, Emiley (3-0)
L: KORTH, Kaysen (3-2)
S: Ackerman, Shaylee (1)
Batting:
2B: BEJARANO, Maddie 1 ; LENNON, Taryn 1
RBI: BEJARANO, Maddie 2 ; ZAVODNIK, Violet 1 ; GILIO, Alexis 1 ; LENNON, Taryn 1
Base Running:
RUNS: BEJARANO, Maddie 1 ; BENSON, Jolee 1 ; EPENESA, Martha 1 ; MORROW, Hailey 1 ; AGBAYANI, Ailana 1 ; GILIO, Alexis 1
HBP: AVA, Huntyr 1 ; EPENESA, Martha 1 ; AGBAYANI, Ailana 1
Batting:
2B: Cottrill, Julia 1 ; Cannon, Trinity 2 ; Harper, Amari 1
HR: Valentine, Riley 1
RBI: Cottrill, Julia 1 ; Cannon, Trinity 2 ; Valentine, Riley 2 ; Harper, Amari 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Wooley, Koko 1 ; Cottrill, Julia 2 ; Cannon, Trinity 2 ; Valentine, Riley 2 ; Enright, Allie 1
SB: Wooley, Koko 1 ; Cottrill, Julia 1 ; Harper, Amari 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
2
AB
2
R
0
H
2
RBI
3
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
P
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballC
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
C/OF
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballINF
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