Texas A&M Softball takes doubleheader from Incarnate Word
The seventh-ranked Aggie Softball team (21-3) faced Incarnate Word in another mid-week doubleheader, winning both games, 7-0 and 8-3.
In the first game of the day, the Aggies got a stellar performance on the mound from Trinity Harrington (6-1 0.83 ERA). Harrington, who got the nod in game one, tossed a complete game shutout — pitching seven innings and striking out eight on just four hits.
“She looked really good. She just is running on all cylinders. I keep saying that, but she just is,” head coach Jo Evans said of Harrington. “Her mechanics look good, her rhythm and timing is really good and her confidence is at a high level.”
Keeli Milligan said her job isn’t hard when Harrington is dealing like she was in game one.
“It’s pretty boring in left field. I pretty much just stand there and look cool,” Milligan said. “She’s really fun to cheer on. She’s fun to watch. She makes them work really hard up there, and she makes our jobs easier.”
The Aggies looked sharp one through nine in game one. Samantha Show put the Aggies on the board after plating Sarah Hudek with an RBI-single in the bottom of the second. After A&M loaded the bases, Tori Vidales singled home two runners with a shot back at the pitcher to close out the second frame.
A&M would hang another three-spot in the bottom of the fourth. With the bases loaded, Kaitlyn Alderink laced an RBI triple down the right field line, clearing the bases. Kelbi Fortenberry would capped off the scoring with an RBI double in the home half of the fifth, bringing home Kristen Cuyos.
The Maroon and White finished game one with 13 hits and drew three walks.
In game two, the Aggies lit up the scoreboard in the bottom of the first, scoring five runs. Tori Vidales got the scoring started with an RBI double into left field, and the line kept moving. Ashley Walters and Riley Sartain both had RBI singles, while Cuyos notched a two-RBI single later in the inning.
A&M struck again in the bottom of the second after Milligan led off the inning with a stand-up triple. Alderink then drove her home with an RBI single.
In the bottom of the sixth, Payton McBride dropped down a suicide squeeze to bring in Milligan. Following the bunt by McBride, freshman Kylie George hit an RBI ground-out to tack on another run.
Incarnate Word's offense came to life when Emily Castro launched a three-run home run to center field in the top of the fifth to cut A&M’s lead in half. That was all the Cardinals could muster, however.
Freshman southpaw Maddie MacGrandle (5-0) was in the circle for A&M in game two, pitching four and one-third innings and surrendering three runs before giving way to Payton McBride in relief. McBride tossed two and two-thirds innings without giving up a run.
Milligan wreaked havoc on the opposing pitching and set the table well — finishing six for seven at the plate, stealing four bases and crossing the plate four times across the day's two games.
“I am just hitting what they give me,” Milligan said. “I think I started hitting well when I started taking a lot of pitches and getting walks. And now teams are starting to give me some fat pitches to hit, and I’m just hitting it where they throw it.”
Evans said the momentum her team has heading into conference play on Friday is palpable.
“You always want to feel good about yourself when you open up conference play,” Evans said. “We’ve got a lot of tools out there and I think we’ve got a lot of weapons and we’ve got an older and experienced team, and I think they know what its like to play in the SEC.”
The Aggies will return to action Friday as they open up SEC play against Ole Miss at the Aggie Softball Complex. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on the SEC Network +.
