No. 8 Aggies run-ruled by No. 9 Florida to conclude regular season
Game #51: No. 9 Florida 11, No. 8 Texas A&M 3 (6 innings)
Records: Texas A&M (39-12, 15-9), Florida (43-12, 17-7)
WP: Keagan Rothrock (23-5)
LP: Emiley Kennedy (20-10)
Box Score
No. 8 Texas A&M was swept by the No. 9 Florida Gators in an 11-3 run-rule on Sunday afternoon in six innings.
Losing by eight runs, Sunday’s finale was the Aggies' largest run differential this season. It was also their second time being swept, with the last sweep coming at LSU.
It was an uncharacteristic performance in Gainesville as the first two games of the series were decided by one run.
However, the Aggies felt the pressure in the final game as the Gators put up eight more runs than the Maroon & White.
To start, Emiley Kennedy stepped into the circle, but after four walks, she was relieved by Emily Leavitt, who picked up right where she left off in Saturday’s game. She led the Aggies to a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the fourth frame when she entered.
However, Leavitt gave up seven runs as the game progressed, two as a result of a Katie Kistler home run.
While the bats remained hot with a total of 11 hits, the Aggies failed to capitalize on multiple two-out threats as 11 runners were left stranded.
Per usual, the Aggies jumped out to an early lead in the top of the first as Julia Cottrill reached on a fielding error as Jazmine Hill scored unearned.
The lead would be surrendered in the Gators’ next at-bat as they jumped ahead, 2-1.
In the third, Skylar Wallace homered to left field, bringing in another Gator, 4-1.
The Aggies remained present on the basepaths but were not able to stop the Gators from piling on runs.
On a Korbe Otis sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fifth, Mia Williams scored. To follow, Wallace doubled to left center, plating Kendra Falby.
In the sixth, the Aggies responded as Hill singled through the left side and Kennedy Powell scored a run.
The action didn’t stop there.
On the next play, Cottrill singled down the left-field line to plate Scout Lovell.
Wooley then popped up to second base, and while tracking down the ball with the sun as a factor, Florida’s Mia Williams dropped the ball.
During the action, the home plate umpire issued the infield fly rule, assuming the ball would have been caught even though it was dropped. Unknowingly, since the call was not from the first base umpire, Cottrill tagged up, resulting in an out when she reached second base. As a result, Wooley was also out on the play.
In a heated debate with the umpires, Texas A&M first base coach Russ Huffley was ejected from the game. Upon further review, the call was upheld.
To follow in the bottom of the sixth frame, the Gators did not let up.
Kistler homered down the left-field line to score Ariel Kowalewski. A few plays later, Jocelyn Erickson kept the runs coming home with a three-run double that concluded the run-rule.
Next up, Texas A&M will play on Thursday in Auburn, Alabama, as the No. 3-seed in the Southeastern Conference Tournament.
Time and opponent are TBD.