No. 9 Texas A&M Walks Off With Series Win on Saturday
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The No. 9 Texas A&M Aggies scored a run in the bottom of the sixth inning to tie and a run in the bottom of the seventh to win the game on a walk off to claim the series with a 4-3 win on Saturday afternoon in the penultimate game at the Aggie Softball Complex.
Game three of the series will be on Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m. ET. The final game of this series will be shown live on the SEC Network, ESPN3 and the ESPN app with Tiffany Greene (pxp) and former All-American Amanda Scarbrough (color) on the call from College Station.
Kentucky got off to a great start offensively, scoring three runs in the top of the second inning thanks to Abbey Cheek’s 11th longball of the season to right, and then an RBI single to right by Bailey Vick. The Wildcats then chased Aggie starter Kayla Pointer from the circle after 1.2 innings.
Lexi Smith, the winning pitcher for the Aggies then came in and pitched 5.1 innings of scoreless softball against the Wildcats, striking out 10 batters an only allowing four hits. Kentucky outhit the Aggies 8-6 in the game with each team recording two extra-base hits in the game.
The Aggies won the game in the bottom of the seventh with a two-out RBI single from Kaitlyn Alderink.
Key Stat
Nine. Kentucky left nine batters on base in the game. The Wildcats were able to generate base runners all game, including three lead-off batters that reached base to start innings.
Key Play
Abbey Cheek’s team-leading 11th home run of the season was the key offensive play for the Wildcats in the top of the second inning. It scored the opening two runs of the game and put UK ahead 2-0.
Key Player
Brooklin Hinz was the key player in the game for the Wildcats, going 3-for-4 at the plate and throwing out a would-be run for Texas A&M in the bottom of the second inning. The three hits for Hinz ties a season high for hits in a game set last weekend vs. MTSU.
Run Recap
Abbey Cheek launched a two run homer in the top of the second inning to score herself and Brooklin Hinz, who led off the inning with a single to left. Bailey Vick then notched an RBI single to shallow right to score Mallory Peyton, who doubled to put herself in scoring position. UK 3, TAMU 0
Ashley Walters hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the third inning to put the Aggies within a run. UK 3, TAMU 2
The Aggies tied the game in the bottom of the sixth after a lead-off walk came around to score on an RBI single from Erica Russell. UK 3, TAMU 3
With two outs in the bottom of the seventh and runners on the corners, Texas A&M walked off with the series thanks to an RBI single from second baseman Kaitlyn Alderink. FINAL – #9 Texas A&M 4, Kentucky 3
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