Friday, February 20
Cathedral City, Calif.
11:00 PM
Texas A&M
9-4
5
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UC San Diego
10-4
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6
7
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H
E
UCSD
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5
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Texas A&M
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Photo by: Evan Pilat/Texas A&M Athletics
Aggies Draw 12 Walks in 5-2 Win Over UC San Diego
Feb 21, 2026 | Softball
CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. – The No. 13 Texas A&M softball team drew a team-high 12 walks en route to a 5-2 victory over UC San Diego on Friday night at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic.
Aggie starter Grace Sparks struck out nine while allowing two runs on two walks and five hits in 6.1 innings to earn her first win of the season. Kennedy Powell paced the offense by reaching base in all four plate appearances, going 2-for-2 with three runs, two walks and a stolen base. Frankie Vrazel added two hits, while Mya Perez and Tallen Edwards led the team with three walks each.
Texas A&M (9-4) struck first, scoring one run in each of the first two innings. Powell opened the game with a walk and stole second before moving to third on a passed ball. Edwards grounded out to second to plate Powell in the opening inning. KK Dement doubled to start the second and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt. Vrazel followed with a two-out infield single to give the Aggies a 2-0 lead. Powell singled and Ariel Kowalewski walked to load the bases with two outs before UC San Diego ended the threat with a groundout.
The Aggies added a run in the fourth, while Sparks held UC San Diego (10-4) hitless through 4.2 innings before the Tritons recorded a bloop single to left.
UC San Diego cut into the deficit with a leadoff single in the sixth, followed by a first-pitch two-run home run. Sparks regrouped by forcing a groundout and striking out the next two batters to preserve a 3-2 lead.
Texas A&M answered with two insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth, capitalizing on a leadoff single, three walks, a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly to extend the lead to 5-2.
Taylor Pannell entered in the seventh with one out and runners on the corners. The nation's active career saves leader forced a popout and strikeout to seal the win.
UP NEXT
Texas A&M continues action Saturday against No. 6 Nebraska at 7 p.m., followed by LMU at 9:30 p.m. Both games will stream on FloCollege ($). Matt Simon will provide the call on the 12th Man Mobile app and locally on Willy 1550 AM.
NOTES
Aggie starter Grace Sparks struck out nine while allowing two runs on two walks and five hits in 6.1 innings to earn her first win of the season. Kennedy Powell paced the offense by reaching base in all four plate appearances, going 2-for-2 with three runs, two walks and a stolen base. Frankie Vrazel added two hits, while Mya Perez and Tallen Edwards led the team with three walks each.
Texas A&M (9-4) struck first, scoring one run in each of the first two innings. Powell opened the game with a walk and stole second before moving to third on a passed ball. Edwards grounded out to second to plate Powell in the opening inning. KK Dement doubled to start the second and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt. Vrazel followed with a two-out infield single to give the Aggies a 2-0 lead. Powell singled and Ariel Kowalewski walked to load the bases with two outs before UC San Diego ended the threat with a groundout.
The Aggies added a run in the fourth, while Sparks held UC San Diego (10-4) hitless through 4.2 innings before the Tritons recorded a bloop single to left.
UC San Diego cut into the deficit with a leadoff single in the sixth, followed by a first-pitch two-run home run. Sparks regrouped by forcing a groundout and striking out the next two batters to preserve a 3-2 lead.
Texas A&M answered with two insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth, capitalizing on a leadoff single, three walks, a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly to extend the lead to 5-2.
Taylor Pannell entered in the seventh with one out and runners on the corners. The nation's active career saves leader forced a popout and strikeout to seal the win.
UP NEXT
Texas A&M continues action Saturday against No. 6 Nebraska at 7 p.m., followed by LMU at 9:30 p.m. Both games will stream on FloCollege ($). Matt Simon will provide the call on the 12th Man Mobile app and locally on Willy 1550 AM.
NOTES
- Kennedy Powell walked in the first inning to extend her on-base streak to 16 games and singled in the second to push her hitting streak to 13 games.
- Powell stole her team-leading seventh base of the season, extending her streak to 32 consecutive stolen bases dating back to 2024.
- Frankie Vrazel recorded her third multi-hit game of the weekend and fourth of the season. It marked the 10th multi-hit game of her career.
- Senior Tallen Edwards recorded three RBI despite going hitless. She drove in two runs on bases-loaded walks and added her first RBI on a groundout that scored Powell in the first inning.
- Grace Sparks posted a career-high nine strikeouts.
- Taylor Pannell earned her second save of the season and 26th of her career.
- Texas A&M drew a season-high 12 walks, with Mya Perez, Tallen Edwards, Kennedy Powell and Ariel Kowalewski earning multiple free passes.
- The Aggies stole multiple bases in a game for the sixth time this season.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Sparks, Grace (1-0)
L: Zoe Rutherford (1-2)
S: Pannell, Taylor (2)
Batting:
2B: Tori Hinostro 1
HR: Maalia Cherry 1
RBI: Maalia Cherry 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Marley Espiau 1 ; Maalia Cherry 1
Batting:
2B: Dement, KK 1
RBI: Edwards, Tallen 3 ; Wark, Micaela 1 ; Vrazel, Frankie 1
SH: Mathis, Kelsey 1
SF: Wark, Micaela 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Powell, Kennedy 3 ; Golden, Hailey 1 ; Dement, KK 1
SB: Powell, Kennedy 1 ; Edwards, Tallen 1
CS: Vrazel, Frankie 1
Game Leaders
AB
2
R
3
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
INF
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/ Softball
INF
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/ SoftballINF
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