Lessentine's three-hitter evens series at South Carolina

Game #48: No. 10 Texas A&M 2, No 24 South Carolina 1
Records: Texas A&M (35-13, 15-5), South Carolina (28-22, 6-14)
WP: Sydney Lessentine (14-3)
LP: Emma Friedel (8-5)
Box Score

No. 10 Texas A&M put in the Wark (get it…) on Saturday to tie things up in an important road series against the No. 24 South Carolina Gamecocks.

Though the Aggies started hot, the Gamecocks weren’t going to let them get away with a 2-1 win without a fight.

A&M and South Carolina met back at the diamond in the second matchup of a three-game set on Saturday afternoon, and the Maroon & White came in ready to fight back.

On Friday night, A&M dropped the opener, 3-1. As for Saturday, some changes to the Aggie lineup seemed necessary to even the series.

Both squads pounded the zone for the first inning, racing to get on base. Gamecock starter Emma Friedel retired the first four she faced, and sophomore Sydney Lessentine retired three before South Carolina got a runner on.

After the battle to get on, the Aggies loaded the bases and brought in the first run of the game on Mya Perez’s RBI hit-by-pitch. The Gamecocks failed to answer before senior Micaela Wark brought the Aggies to a 2-0 lead with her first home run of the series in the top of the fourth.

Wark has been a key piece to the Aggie offense this season. The outstanding transfer now has 19 home runs with 62 RBI and has pushed her average to .326.

South Carolina responded in the bottom of the fourth with their first and only run of the game, as Tori Ensley took Lessentine deep.

However, that was the sophomore’s only hiccup in the circle as Lessentine pitched a complete game, striking out three, allowing three hits and only walking one.

With every passing game, Lessentine continues to lean further into her identity in the circle. Her record now sits at 13-3 in 29 total appearances with a 2.82 ERA. The young pitcher is a force to be reckoned with and never loses sight of the goal in front of her.

As the Aggies continued to keep South Carolina at bay, the final three innings were quiet, with no runs for either side. When the Gamecocks managed to get on base, A&M’s electric defense sent them running back to the dugout every time.

With just four regular-season contests remaining, the Maroon & White aren't giving up any game without a fight.

On Sunday afternoon, the Aggies and the Gamecocks will meet for a decisive ballgame at 12 p.m. CT.