Friday, March 31
Bryan-College Station
5:00 PM
Texas A&M
21-12, 0
1
vs
2
Tennessee
28-2, 0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
R
H
E
Tennessee
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
2
4
0
Texas A&M
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
2
1
Photo by: Evan Pilat/Texas A&M Athletics
No. 21 Texas A&M Falls Short to No. 3 Tennessee in Extra Innings, 2-1
Mar 31, 2023 | Softball
BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The No. 21 Texas A&M softball team fell short in the 10th inning to No. 3 Tennessee, 2-1, Friday night at Davis Diamond.
Tennessee (28-2, 9-1 SEC) scored two runs on two hits and one error in the top of the 10th inning. Following a one hour and 20 minutes weather delay, Texas A&M (21-12, 4-6 SEC) put together a last effort comeback scoring one run in the bottom half before a fly ball to right field depleted all hope.
Despite registering only two hits, the Maroon & White had multiple scoring opportunities leaving a total of nine runners on base, including the bases loaded in the second and sixth innings.
The Aggie pitching duo of sophomore Emily Leavitt and senior Shaylee Ackerman combined to strike out 10 batters, including Leavitt who struck out four consecutive Lady Vols after hitting the first batter she faced and Ackerman who sat down two for the final out in the eighth and ninth innings with runners stranded on base.
Leavitt started the game and went 4.2 innings with seven strikeouts, while allowing only one hit and one walk. Ackerman (L, 5-5) pitched 5.1 innings with three strikeouts, while allowing two runs, two walks and three hits.
Tennessee constantly pressured Texas A&M throughout the game as the Aggie infield continuously made multiple web gems compliments of junior third baseman Rylen Wiggins and freshman second baseman Amari Harper. In total, the Lady Vols stranded 10 base runners, including one each inning except when they went three up, three down in the fourth and seventh frame.
The three hour and 11 minute game marked the longest against an SEC opponent since a three hour and seven minute marathon against No. 16 Alabama in a 2-1 defeat in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament in Knoxville, Tennessee on May 11, 2017.
UP NEXT
Game two of the three-game series begins Saturday at 1 p.m. and airs on the SEC Network with Jenny Dalton-Hill and Pam Ward on the call.
TOP AGGIE PERFORMERS
Julia Cottrill – 1-for-4, 1 H, 1 BB
Allie Enright – 1-for-2, 1 H, 1 R, 1 BB
Emily Leavitt – 4.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 7 K
Shaylee Ackerman – 5.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 3 K
SCORING SUMMARY
T10 | Zaida Puni reached on a fielding error, allowing Kiki Milloy and Katie Taylor to score after Taylor led the inning off with a double and Milloy singled. UT 2, TAMU 0
B10 | Allie Enright singled to center field before the lightning delay. The game resumed after one hour and 20 minutes delay, Enright advanced to third after Amari Harper's fly out and later scored on a wild pitch. UT 2, TAMU 1
TEXAS A&M QUOTES
Head Coach Trisha Ford
On overall thoughts of tonight's game…
"Tough one tonight, but a lot of good stuff. I thought Emily Leavitt came out and pitched the way she's capable of pitching, I thought Shaylee Ackerman relieved the way she's capable of pitching. That was a heck of a battle. It was the first game of the series. I think we made [Tennessee starting pitcher Ashley] Rogers throw a lot of pitches, so hopefully by day three or day two, whenever she pitches again, we'll get her."
Pitcher Emily Leavitt
On her momentum as starting pitcher…
"I think it just started from my warmups. Even before that, we've talked a lot as a staff about our mindset going into the game. Really just changing my mindset helped a lot. Even that first pitch, I thought it was a good pitch still, so I didn't really stress about it too much. I was really focused on my spin today and we've worked on that a lot throughout this week. My screwball is what had them striking out swinging."
Junior Infielder Rylen Wiggins
On why they couldn't get many good hits…
"Obviously she's a really good pitcher. She's experienced and has played most of us already. But, we had her on the ropes. I would say she was a little frustrated and scared at certain times. If she throws again, we're going to get her. I'm not too worried about it. I don't think we've seen a real effective rise ball the way that she throws it. She's able to spot it and change the height of it which makes her even more effective when she's implementing her curve ball."
To learn more about Texas A&M softball, log on to 12thMan.com or follow @AggieSoftball on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Tennessee (28-2, 9-1 SEC) scored two runs on two hits and one error in the top of the 10th inning. Following a one hour and 20 minutes weather delay, Texas A&M (21-12, 4-6 SEC) put together a last effort comeback scoring one run in the bottom half before a fly ball to right field depleted all hope.
Despite registering only two hits, the Maroon & White had multiple scoring opportunities leaving a total of nine runners on base, including the bases loaded in the second and sixth innings.
The Aggie pitching duo of sophomore Emily Leavitt and senior Shaylee Ackerman combined to strike out 10 batters, including Leavitt who struck out four consecutive Lady Vols after hitting the first batter she faced and Ackerman who sat down two for the final out in the eighth and ninth innings with runners stranded on base.
Leavitt started the game and went 4.2 innings with seven strikeouts, while allowing only one hit and one walk. Ackerman (L, 5-5) pitched 5.1 innings with three strikeouts, while allowing two runs, two walks and three hits.
Tennessee constantly pressured Texas A&M throughout the game as the Aggie infield continuously made multiple web gems compliments of junior third baseman Rylen Wiggins and freshman second baseman Amari Harper. In total, the Lady Vols stranded 10 base runners, including one each inning except when they went three up, three down in the fourth and seventh frame.
The three hour and 11 minute game marked the longest against an SEC opponent since a three hour and seven minute marathon against No. 16 Alabama in a 2-1 defeat in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament in Knoxville, Tennessee on May 11, 2017.
UP NEXT
Game two of the three-game series begins Saturday at 1 p.m. and airs on the SEC Network with Jenny Dalton-Hill and Pam Ward on the call.
TOP AGGIE PERFORMERS
Julia Cottrill – 1-for-4, 1 H, 1 BB
Allie Enright – 1-for-2, 1 H, 1 R, 1 BB
Emily Leavitt – 4.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 7 K
Shaylee Ackerman – 5.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 3 K
SCORING SUMMARY
T10 | Zaida Puni reached on a fielding error, allowing Kiki Milloy and Katie Taylor to score after Taylor led the inning off with a double and Milloy singled. UT 2, TAMU 0
B10 | Allie Enright singled to center field before the lightning delay. The game resumed after one hour and 20 minutes delay, Enright advanced to third after Amari Harper's fly out and later scored on a wild pitch. UT 2, TAMU 1
TEXAS A&M QUOTES
Head Coach Trisha Ford
On overall thoughts of tonight's game…
"Tough one tonight, but a lot of good stuff. I thought Emily Leavitt came out and pitched the way she's capable of pitching, I thought Shaylee Ackerman relieved the way she's capable of pitching. That was a heck of a battle. It was the first game of the series. I think we made [Tennessee starting pitcher Ashley] Rogers throw a lot of pitches, so hopefully by day three or day two, whenever she pitches again, we'll get her."
Pitcher Emily Leavitt
On her momentum as starting pitcher…
"I think it just started from my warmups. Even before that, we've talked a lot as a staff about our mindset going into the game. Really just changing my mindset helped a lot. Even that first pitch, I thought it was a good pitch still, so I didn't really stress about it too much. I was really focused on my spin today and we've worked on that a lot throughout this week. My screwball is what had them striking out swinging."
Junior Infielder Rylen Wiggins
On why they couldn't get many good hits…
"Obviously she's a really good pitcher. She's experienced and has played most of us already. But, we had her on the ropes. I would say she was a little frustrated and scared at certain times. If she throws again, we're going to get her. I'm not too worried about it. I don't think we've seen a real effective rise ball the way that she throws it. She's able to spot it and change the height of it which makes her even more effective when she's implementing her curve ball."
To learn more about Texas A&M softball, log on to 12thMan.com or follow @AggieSoftball on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Ashley Rogers (11-0)
L: Ackerman, Shaylee (5-5)
S: Karlyn Pickens (2)
Batting:
2B: Katie Taylor 1
SH: Katie Taylor 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Kiki Milloy 1 ; Katie Taylor 1
SB: Kiki Milloy 1
HBP: Mackenzie Donihoo 1 ; Zaida Puni 1 ; Katie Taylor 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Enright, Allie 1
SB: Cottrill, Julia 1 ; Ferguson, Star 1
HBP: Cannon, Trinity 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
5
R
0
H
0
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
0
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
P
/ SoftballC
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
INF
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