Lessentine blanks No. 14 State to clinch series

Game #45: No. 11 Texas A&M 4, No. 14 Mississippi State 0
Records: Texas A&M (33-12, 13-4), Mississippi State (34-13, 6-11)
WP: Sydney Lessentine (13-3)
LP: Alyssa Faircloth (10-5)
Box Score

College Station has dealt with rain, wind and cloudy skies, but through it all, the 12th Man can always count on heat coming from Davis Diamond.

On a weekend buzzing with Aggie athletics, No. 11 Texas A&M got things rolling with a 4-0 victory over No. 14 Mississippi State, securing the series in Game 2.

The victory is A&M’s first shutout over a conference opponent at home since 2024 and marks the fifth SEC series win this year for the Aggies. It’s also the eighth win in a row for the Maroon & White.

“I love winning, but I hate losing even more,” mA&M head coach Trisha Ford said. “My expectation is that we win… and play this game at a certain level with a certain intensity. I’m starting to see that more and more, which is why I think we’re winning.”

Sydney Lessentine pitched a complete game in the circle for the Aggies, allowing only three hits, four walks and striking out two batters. She pushed her win-loss record to 13-3 for the season.

In the top of the sixth, Lessentine collided with Ariel Kowalewski on a pop-up, allowing Kiarra Sells to reach first base on the error. Lessentine faced two runners on at second and third with two outs.

On a 1-2 count, Lessentine struck out Morgan Bernardini and stranded both runners to prevent the Bulldogs from crossing home plate.

“This is her first year really throwing high innings here at Texas A&M and at a high level,” Ford said. “I think she’s just growing, and she did a good job. She shook me for the first time tonight, and I was so happy because I kept saying, ‘You have the best view’... For me, that was a really big growth moment.”

Saturday’s game saw little bat-to-ball connection as three hits were recorded for the Aggie offense. Despite the lack of hits, the offense capitalized on Bulldog pitching miscues.

“We do a really good job of making the strike zone feel small, and not swinging out of the zone,” Ford said. “I thought we battled a tough strike zone today.”

Bella Costello, TexAgs

Now on an eight-game winning streak, Texas A&M has won three consecutive SEC series.

Bulldog pitcher Alyssa Faircloth dealt three walks and hit two batters to load the bases and bring two runs aboard for the Aggies.

After Kelsey Mathis scored the second Aggie run, Tallen Edwards accumulated a 3-0 count with bases loaded. As soon as the ball was called, heavy rain poured down, prompting a weather delay at 11:44 a.m., a sight that A&M diamond sport fans are used to seeing.

Luckily, the delay lasted for only 30 minutes, and play resumed at 12:14 p.m.

The Aggies picked up right where they left off as a fourth ball was delivered to Edwards, allowing KK Dement to cross for a third Aggie run.

“They did a good job of staying loose and enjoying being around each other,” Ford said. “They’re still talking the game the whole time… I think the biggest thing is if you are going to win at this level, you have to stay focused no matter how long.”

Faircloth pitched 5.1 innings and issued a season-high nine walks in the rubber match before pitcher Delainey Everett came in for relief. Faircloth had previously allowed only four walks in a single game.

Bella Costello, TexAgs

All three of A&M’s base hits were singles.

On Friday, Everett held the Aggies to zero runs and zero hits. On Saturday, she pitched 0.2 innings, allowing a single to Mya Perez that advanced Hailey Golden to third base.

Golden then scored on a sacrifice fly by Micaela Wark to right field, pushing the score to 4-0 in favor of the Aggies.

Kennedy Powell caught the final pop-up to end the game, leaving no hope for the Mississippi State offense.

The series between the Aggies and Bulldogs will conclude on Sunday, April 19, at 1 p.m. CT at Davis Diamond.