The ninth-ranked Texas A&M softball team erased a four-run deficit and forced extra innings, but ultimately fell to No. 18 Alabama, 5-4, in eight innings Sunday at Rhoads Stadium.
Trailing 4-0 heading into the sixth, the Aggies (40-15, 13-11 SEC) plated their first run on a RBI single from Samantha Show. In the seventh, Payton McBride drew a 13-pitch walk and Sarah Hudek recorded a two-out walk, before Tori Vidales tied the game with a three-run shot to left, her 11th of the season.
Alabama’s (32-17, 12-12 SEC) Demi Turner ended the game on a single to right in the bottom of the eighth with two outs.
The Texas A&M offense was led by Vidales, who finished the game going 2-for-3 at the plate with three RBI and two runs scored and Samantha Show, who went 1-for-3 with a RBI.
Trinity Harrington was saddled with the loss, giving up two hits and one run with a strikeout in 2.2 innings of relief. Lexi Smith got the start and went five innings allowing nine hits, four runs and four walks with two strikeouts.
Courtney Gettins earned the win, throwing one inning of scoreless relief. Alexis Osorio started in the circle for the Crimson Tide and threw 6.2 innings, giving up four runs on four hits while striking out two and walking six.
KEY INNINGS
B1 | Alabama struck first as Gabby Callaway plated Elissa Brown on a RBI single to right. UA 1, A&M 0
B3 | Reagan Dykes doubled the lead for the Crimson Tide on a sacrifice fly to center, plating KB Sides. UA 2, A&M 0
B4 | With two outs, Demi Turner doubled to left and later scored on a Kaylee Tow RBI single to right center. UA 3, A&M 0
B5 | Merris Schroder drove in Sydney Book on a sacrifice fly to right. UA 4, A&M 0
T6 | Tori Vidales drew a leadoff walk and scored on a Samantha Show single to left. UA 4, A&M 1
T7 | Texas A&M rallied to tie the game as Payton McBride and Sarah Hudek drew walks, before Vidales drilled her 11th homer of the season. A&M 4, UA 4
B8 | Turner ended the game with a two-out single to right, plating Merris Schroder. UA 5, A&M 4
Top Offensive Players:
Tori Vidales | 2-for-3, HR, 3 RBI, 2 R, BB
Samantha Show | 1-for-3, RBI
Pitching Breakdown:
Lexi Smith | 5.0 IP, 9 H, 4 ER, 4 BB, 2 K
Trinity Harrington | L, 2.2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 K
AGGIE NOTES
Tori Vidales extended her hitting streak to eight games, tying her season high.
Vidales’ home run was the 62nd of her career and is now seven HRs shy of Megan May’s (2010-13) record of 69.
WHAT THEY SAI
Texas A&M Head Coach Jo Evans
On Tori Vidales’ three-run home run…
“That has been Tori all season. I keep saying that when the lights are the brightest, she is even better. She went out there in that situation expecting to get a big hit. I thought in that seventh inning we did a great job in that strike zone. Payton McBride had a terrific at bat to get herself on base. Sarah Hudek had another great at bat. It is nice to see our kids step up there.”
On Lexi Smith’s performance…
“I thought it was key that Lexi got us off the field with just one run scored. When you look at the scoreboard and there are no crooked numbers and that was the difference in us being able to fight and have a chance to win a ball game in the end. I thought all in all, she pitched pretty well out there and kept us out of the big innings, which is what we needed today.”
ON DECK
The Aggies will travel to Columbia, Mo., for the SEC Tournament as the No. 6 seed and face 11th-seeded Mississippi State at 11 a.m. Wednesday on the SEC Network.
