Game #8: No. 8 Texas A&M 10, NC State 2
Records: Texas A&M (5-3, 0-0), NC State (3-5, 0-0)
WP: Sydney Lessentine (2-0)
LP: Rylee Wyman (0-3)
Box Score
No. 8 Texas A&M traded their heart-shaped candies for softball bats on Valentine’s Day, as the Aggies defeated the NC State Wolfpack in a 10-2 dominating win, after dropping two games on Friday.
The 8 a.m. CT first pitch served as A&M’s third game in the Shriners Children’s Clearwater Invitational.
“I thought today was important for us to bounce back from yesterday's two tough games,” said A&M head coach Trisha Ford. “I thought it took us a little bit to wake up, but then our bats got rolling and really kind of put pressure on the other team.”
The early morning matchup became a battle of the pitchers, as a struggle to get on base kept A&M’s Sydney Lessentine and NC State's Rylee Wyman in a head-to-head strikeout matchup. Both arms pounded the zone for four innings before the game saw its first baserunner.
Some say it's rare – the Aggies call it Sydney Lessentine.
The sophomore powerhouse dominated in the circle Saturday morning for 5.2 innings. Lessentine came to play, retiring the first 16 hitters she faced in as she led the Aggies to victory.
Only two outs away from a perfect game, Lessentine left Aggie fans with heart eyes for her hard-nosed pitching. Striking out seven batters, walking zero and averaging a 3.46 ERA, Lessentine was close to flawless against the Wolfpack.
“In the circle, we did what we needed to do,” Ford said. “That was another thing that was important to us, is to come back and pound the zone and then spread instead of work in reverse.
“I thought Lessentine did a great job today.”
Kennedy Powell finally reached base in the top of the fourth with a single up the middle.
The Maroon & White got on the board in the top of the fourth after Powell stole second and advanced to third on the errant throw, before scoring on a fielder's choice. She brought home the Aggies’ first run, setting the tone for what was to come two innings later.
Highlighting a seven-run sixth inning, Micaela Wark answered a Wolfpack pitching change with a three-run home run to center field, as Mya Perez and Tallen Edwards scored to increase the Aggie lead to 8-0.
Wark hit the only home run of the contest on Saturday, finishing the game 2-for-4 with four RBIs.
NC State broke up the Aggies perfect game in the bottom of the sixth, as the Wolfpack strung together four singles to score a pair of runs and stave off the run-rule.
The Aggies added to their lead in the final frame with a single to center by Wark, sending Hailey Golden home. Wark later scored on a double up the middle by freshman Maddie Sauni to put the final touches on a late-game offensive onslaught.
Cupid’s arrow didn’t stand a chance with the 12th Man’s heart, as the Aggies delivered a fifth win rather than a dozen roses, as the lineup worked to find its footing for the season.
The Maroon & White will close out the Shriners Children’s Clearwater Invitational at 8 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 15, with a doubleheader against James Madison and Northwestern.
