Griffin's fifth-inning blast lifts No. 14 A&M to 5-1 victory over Auburn

Game #30: No. 14 Texas A&M 5, Auburn 1
Records: Texas A&M (26-4, 6-1), Auburn (15-7-1, 2-5)
WP: Emiley Kennedy (14-3)
LP: Shelby Lowe (4-2)
Box Score

No. 14 Texas A&M ended its two-game losing streak with a 5-1 win over Auburn on Friday evening at Davis Diamond.

Starting the game with a solid strikeout, left-handed ace Emiley Kennedy pitched all seven innings while only allowing one run on six hits, two walks and four strikeouts.

“I thought she battled well,” A&M coach Trisha Ford said. “I think she did a really good job. I think, in her eyes, she is really not human, and that’s kind of what we’re battling with a little bit. That kid held an SEC team to one run. I think that is phenomenal.

“I thought that sixth inning, I finally saw Emiley Kennedy. That was a very good, clean inning. She had really good energy. I could see her personality change and so, I think she’s working through it and doing a heck of a job doing that while competing against top-25 teams.”

Although the Tigers scored the first run of the game in the third inning, the Aggies were quick to answer back with a Trinity Cannon home run in the fourth.

In the following inning, pinch-hitter Kylei Griffin smashed her first home run as an Aggie, launching a two-run moonshot over the scoreboard.

“Gosh. So happy and excited for her [Griffin],” Ford said. “That kid has, you know, continued to work. You could tell how happy our team was for her, so that, to me, is just a deep reflection of who she is as a teammate.”

Prior to the big fly, Griffin was 1-for-10.

“You just have to be ready whenever they call your number,” Griffin said. “My teammates, they pass really good information onto me, and they were telling me the whole time what [Auburn LHP Shelby Lowe] was throwing, and, as I was watching her, I was able to get my timing. So, I didn’t go in just blind.”

Julia Cottrill’s bat has continued to stay hot with a two-run shot during the sixth to extend A&M’s lead to five. That was her seventh of the season.

Before the homer, Ford asked for a timeout while Cottrill had a 0-2 count.

Shortly after, Cottrill changed her dynamic from hitting two pop-outs previously in the game.

“I think that’s just some coach intuition, to be honest with you,” Ford said. “Jules, one of the things that is great about her is her emotions. She plays this game with deep passion, and I felt like that moment was a good time to catch her breath.”

“I gave her some encouraging words, and I told her it was time for her to step up.”

A&M’s offense wasn’t the only thing keeping the team afloat. The Aggies managed to successfully work their way out of two bases-loaded jams during the fifth and seventh.

With bases loaded and no outs in the fifth, the Maroon & White wiggled out unscathed. After catching a pop fly to center, Jazmine Hill threw home, where Cottrill tagged out Riley McNemar to complete an incredible double play.

Kennedy ended a bases-loaded threat in the seventh to clinch her 13th win of the year.

A&M continues its series with Auburn on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. CT.