Perfect start snapped as A&M falls to No. 7 OSU in pitcher's duel, 1-0

It was hard to gauge which was colder — the Aggie bats or the near-freezing weather. 

Texas A&M’s 11-0 start to the season came to an end Friday evening in a 1-0 loss to No. 7 Oklahoma State at Davis Diamond. 

The Aggies struggled to find a spark offensively, falling victim to a career-high 13 strikeouts by OSU pitcher Kelly Maxwell.

Maxwell nearly threw a no-hitter until junior Shaylee Ackerman connected on a line drive just past second base in the bottom of the seventh to advance Star Ferguson to third base.

With the corners loaded and the game on the line, Koko Wooley stepped in but struckout on a 2-2 count to end the game under the shadow of a one-hit shutout. 

OSU’s lone run came from a lead-off walk in the top of the first inning. 

Despite giving up the run and three hits in the first inning, Makinzy Herzog subsequently found her rhythm in the circle, and a pitcher’s duel soon ensued, matching Maxwell’s 80 strikes and finishing with four strikeouts. 

“She got into some trouble in the first inning no question,” Aggie head coach Jo Evans said. “First inning wasn’t sharp but the way she settled in after about the third inning it felt like she really started to get on a roll and threw a lot less pitches and got us off the field.”

With a chance to tie the game in the fifth, Haley Lee flew out to center, leaving Mayce Allen and Ackerman stranded.

In the top of the sixth, Herzog and the infield made quick work of the Cowgirls, but the Aggies were never able to translate their defensive momentum into any runs. 

“Kelly is a really good pitcher. She had a really good changeup and drop-ball," Herzog said. "Our plan was to lay off of that and go after the up-ball, but that doesn’t always go as planned. We were chasing a lot of stuff."

Though the Aggies were unable to claw their way back into the game, the contest still presented the squad with a preview of what March will bring in conference play. 

“We really needed to play a strong opponent and lock-in,” Evans said. 

“I told our team that felt like an SEC game right there. That’s the caliber of a team you are going to see, and that’s the challenge you’re going to have and I think we’re going to win a lot of games.”

The Maroon & White will return to Davis Diamond on Sunday for a meeting with Texas Southern and a rematch with OSU to close the Reveille Classic.