No. 5 A&M's 10-game winning streak snapped by No. 13 Texas Tech
Game #20: No. 13 Texas Tech 7, No. 5 Texas A&M 2
Records: Texas A&M (18-2, 0-0), Texas Tech (18-5, 0-0)
WP: NiJaree Canady (7-2)
LP: Emiley Kennedy (5-2)
Box Score
Despite No. 5 Texas A&M softball steamrolling many lower-level opponents, NiJaree Canady and No. 13 Texas Tech served as a speed bump in an error-riddled, 7-2 defeat on Saturday night at Davis Diamond.
In what many predicted to be an old-fashioned pitcher’s duel between A&M’s senior left-handed pitcher Emiley Kennedy and Tech’s junior right-hander Canady, it was the Red Raiders that won the battle.
Canady’s pitches routinely clocked in at over 70 mph, with her changeups sat in the mid-50s. The barrage of pitches kept the Aggies’ heads spinning as the Topeka, Kan., product recorded 10 strikeouts.
“In order to beat [Canady], you’re going to have to play clean defense. You’re going to have to work spots and hit corners, and you’re going to have to grind every pitch,” A&M head coach Trisha Ford said. “Kudos to her. She’s a tough one. The good thing is, I felt as the game went on, our hitters were seeing her more and more.”
The Red Raiders didn’t wait long to see the scoreboard illuminate, with three runs in the first three at-bats. Junior center fielder Mihyia Davis struck first, sending a triple into left field.
The first of a comedy errors for the Maroon & White came when freshman second baseman KK Dement couldn't corral the ball from freshman shortstop Hailey Toney's swing, allowing Davis to get home and make it 1-0.
On the next play, redshirt sophomore right fielder Lauren Allred silenced the Davis Diamond crowd with a two-run homer to left center to make it 3-0.
“I think there are some things, obviously, in the circle that Emiley will learn from this,” Ford said. “She’s our ace for a reason, and sometimes you have days like this, so she’s got to come back and learn from this tomorrow.”
In the bottom of the first, A&M slowly put women on base due to Tech errors. Senior catcher Olivia Johnson managed to bite back for the Aggies when her single scored third baseman Kennedy Powell.
The top of the Red Raiders lineup killed the Aggies again in the top of the second inning, with Davis and Toney reaching the bases for a second time. Junior right fielder Alana Johnson reached on a Powell error, which loaded the bases.
Alexa Langeliers connected with a Kennedy pitch to score Davis home and give the Raiders a 4-1 lead.
Lackadaisical defense from the Maroon & White continued to sink their chances at victory as they allowed Langeliers to steal second. Toney scored on the throw as the deficit grew to 5-1.
It was too little too late for the Aggies.
Kennedy’s pitching and the defense tightened up from the third to sixth frame, not allowing a run during that span. A&M managed to spark a flame of hope in the bottom of the fifth when designated player Mac Barbara lasered a double to left center to score Kramer Eschete and make it 5-2.
Yet Canady did enough to keep the Aggies at bay.
To salt the game away and put Aggieland to sleep, junior catcher Victoria Valdez launched a two-run home run as the 7-2 lead proved to be insurmountable.
The Aggies will return to Davis for a doubleheader on Sunday, where they will take on Idaho State at 11:30 a.m. and look for redemption vs. Texas Tech at 2 p.m.
“You can’t really dwell on it,” Ford said. “Which is good, it’s like an SEC conference series, and we also have Idaho State that has had a great weekend as well. We got to regroup and come out ready to go for tomorrow.”