COLLEGE STATION — Texas A&M Softball concluded the Texas A&M Invite with a 7-1 victory over Texas A&M – Corpus Christi, Sunday, at Davis Diamond. With the victory, the Maroon & White move to 14-6 on the season.
Texas A&M outhit the Islanders, 11-8, as five Aggies recorded multiple hits. Baylee Klingler posted a season-high three hits while Kelbi Fortenberry, Haley Lee, Payton McBride and Riley Sartain each recorded two. McBride set a new career-high in RBI as she knocked in four of Texas A&M’s seven runs.
The Aggies recorded seven stolen bases, the most since Texas A&M baserunners swiped seven against Stephen F. Austin on Feb. 17, 2017.
Hannah Mayo earned the complete-game victory after holding the Islanders to one run and allowing eight hits, seven walks, while fanning four in 7.0 innings.
Kelbi Fortenberry led the offense this weekend posting a .556 batting average (10-for-18) with three doubles, six RBI, six runs and three walks. The junior also recorded five stolen bases.
KEY INNINGS
B1| Kelbi Fortenberry led off with an infield single before stealing second and third. Riley Sartain landed on first base after being hit by a pitch. Haley Lee delivered a double down the left field line, plating Fortenberry and Sartain for the first two runs of the game. Aggies 2, Islanders 0
B3| Baylee Klingler and Lee laced base hits up the middle before a Payton McBride double to center scored Madi Jatzlau and Taudrea Sinnie, who both entered as pinch runners. Aggies 4, Islanders 0
B4| A Fortenberry double and Klingler single to left followed by a double to right from Sartain plated a run for the Aggies. A McBride single down the left field line allowed Klingler and Sartain to touch home. Aggies 7, Islanders 0
T5| The Islanders’ lone run came in the fifth as they loaded the bases on two walks and an infield single before Ashleigh Sgambelluri reached base on a fielder’s choice, scoring Skye Koehl. Aggies 7, Islanders 1
Top Offensive Players:
Baylee Klingler| 3-for-4, R
Payton McBride | 2-for-3, 4 RBI, 2B, BB
Kelbi Fortenberry| 2-for-4, 2B, 2 R, 2 SB
Haley Lee | 2-for-3, 2 RBI, 2B, BB
Riley Sartain | 2-for-3, RBI, 2 R, 2B, SB
Pitching Breakdown:
Hannah Mayo (2-0)– W, 7.0 IP, 8 H, 1 R, 4 K, 7 BB
WHAT THEY SAID
Head Coach Jo Evans
On what she got out of her team this weekend…
“We got a lot of work with each of the pitchers. Hannah Mayo got a couple of starts which was really important going into this next week with SEC starting. I feel comfortable with what we got out there right now. We learned quite a bit about our team this weekend. We stayed more consistent with the lineups we used depending on which pitcher was out there.”
Junior Pitcher Payton McBride
On her offensive performance today…
“I had a different approach today. I worked on staying up the middle on all my hits. I tried to stay through them instead of rolling over.”
On what she thinks this weekend did for the team’s confidence…
“It gave us a lot of momentum moving towards SEC play, especially for next weekend.”
ON DECK
The Aggies return to action as they face UT Arlington in a midweek contest on Wednesday at 4 p.m. at Davis Diamond.
STAY CONNECTED
Fans can follow the Aggies wherever they go by following @AggieSoftball on Instagram and Twitter or on Facebook at Facebook.com/TAMUSoftball.
