The No. 5 Texas A&M Softball team recorded a pair of 8-0 victories against Georgetown and UTSA on a rain filled Sunday at the Aggie Softball Complex.
Junior Ashley Walters led the offense, going 4-for-5 at the plate with a home run and seven RBI.
Against the Hoyas, Walters gave the Aggies (19-1) a 3-0 lead with her second home run of the year, plating Tori Vidales and Kaitlyn Alderink, who led off the frame with back-to-back walks.
With two outs and the bases loaded in the second, Walters singled to right, scoring Kelbi Fortenberry and Keeli Milligan. A throw down to second to try and nab Walters, who advanced on the throw home, allowed Alderink to cross the plate.
The Maroon and White secured the run-rule victory in the fifth, scoring two runs on two hits. Samantha Show began the inning with a single and was pinch ran for by Erica Russell, who stole second. Following a Kristen Cuyos single to left, Sarah Hudek drew her third walk of the game. A walk by Fortenberry allowed Russell to score before the game ended as Vidales was hit by a pitch.
Show recorded her eighth victory of the season, giving up just two hits while striking out three.
In the nightcap, Texas A&M snagged a 1-0 in the third as Fortenberry recorded her fourth RBI of the season on a double to center, scoring Hudek who doubled to start off the inning.
Sartain added to the lead in the fourth with a two-run homer to right, her fourth of the season. In the fifth, Walters doubled off the top of the wall in center to bring home Russell and Vidales.
Cuyos blasted her team-high fifth home run in the sixth to give the Aggies a 7-0 lead, before Alderink singled to right to end the game.
Payton McBride earned her first career win, throwing three innings of relief, scattering three hits with two strikeouts. Lexi Smith struck out five in three innings of work.
The Aggies return to action Wednesday at Sam Houston State at 6:30 p.m. The game can be heard locally on Willy 1550 AM.
Texas A&M Quotes
Head Coach Jo Evans
On the pitching staff only allowing one run this weekend…
“Our pitchers are doing such a nice job. Lexi Smith gets herself in trouble but finds a way to get herself out. Every one of them brings their unique set of skills to the game and understands what they do well and Coach (Kara) Dill calls a great game for them.”
On Ashley Walters’ performance…
“She had a great day today. It’s fun watching her. We talked about how we need her in that first inning and early innings to get RBIs and she was able to do that. She was the story in the first game. She had our first five RBI and our first two hits on those five RBI. It’s nice to see Ashley do her thing.”
On Kelbi Fortenberry’s performance…
“It’s been fun to watch her and we talked about making sure she played in every one of the games this weekend and trying to see what she’s capable of and how she handles it. She is a really good athlete and a gifted softball player and I think she pressed a little bit early on. We had a chat about it and right now she’s able to settle in and swing the bat. She’s hitting way more and seems a lot more comfortable at the plate.”
