A&M rolls UConn with record-breaking offensive output

Press conference video courtesy of Texas A&M Athletics.

Game #54: #15 Texas A&M 17, Connecticut 3 (5 innings)
Records: Texas A&M (37-17, 16-8), Connecticut (31-27, 18-6)
WP: Sidne Peters (15-5)
LP: Caprice Bohmer (13-10)
Box Score

A heater on Friday afternoon at Davis Diamond turned into a scorcher, as the No. 15 seed Texas A&M Aggies run-ruled the UConn Huskies, 17-3, in the opening game of the Bryan-College Station Regional.

“This group gets it,” A&M head coach Trisha Ford said. “You can hear it in their voice. Their excitement of when we are rolling. We worked our tails off. We are prepared. We have faced everybody good throughout this year and just absolutely getting after it. There’s nothing better.”

Things got snappy quick, as the Aggies put up a 13-spot in the second inning, thanks to multiple passed balls, a grand slam and two solo shots, one after another after another.

Thirteen is the most runs scored in one inning for A&M in an NCAA Tournament game in program history. It also ties the second most in NCAA Regional history.

“I think that’s what I’m most happy about,” Ford said. “Just our ability to come out in every inning and put pressure. We scored quite a few runs with two outs, which I think says a lot about this team and kind of who they are.”

After going 1-for-10 in her last 10 at-bats, Ariel Kowalewski went 2-for-2 against UConn, hitting a grand slam in the second inning to put the Aggies up 9-0.

“My thought process was make sure I score these runners,” Kowalewski said. “We need this right here. We were already up a few runs, but it’s like we can’t stop, like put your foot on the gas.”

KK Dement was also on a dry spell of her own before Friday, batting 0-for-12 since April 26.

There was no better time for Dement to get hot than in the postseason, when she followed up Kowalewski’s grand slam with a solo shot of her own.

“It sucked to lose,” Dement said. “I think it gave us the opportunity to work on the things we needed to work on. I sat down with (Jeff) Harger, and we talked about what my success was when I was focusing on hitting middle weight, and that’s kind of my whole focus this week.”

Building off that momentum, Kelsey Mathis added extra fluff in the second, hitting another consecutive long ball, pushing the score to 11-0.

“We take the confidence in knowing you can play with anybody in the country,” Dement said. “In the beginning of the season, we played with anybody, and some of the top pitchers and players in the country. So I think we just take that level of confidence and place it back into us.”

Not to be outdone, Mya Perez and Micaela Wark both hit back-to-back home runs in the bottom of the fourth, pushing the score to 17-1.

In total, the Aggies had 14 hits and 12 RBI, an offensive showcase that was much needed for Ford & Co.

In the circle, Sidne Peters was tagged with the win, bringing her total to 15-5 on the season. She spun three innings, striking out seven batters and retiring six of seven in the first two innings.

Danny Grant, TexAgs

Sidne Peters struck out seven of the 11 batters she faced vs. UConn.

“It was important for Peters to come out and work her zone,” Ford said. “She felt good. I feel like she got better each inning, which I think says a lot about where she’s at with things.”

Kate Munnerlyn relieved Peters in the circle, allowing one walk and a solo home run to UConn second baseman Savannah Ring.

Sydney Lessentine entered in the fifth, allowing two hits, two runs, a walk and picking up a strikeout to close out the game, cementing the decision at 17-3.

“Kate always keeps me on my toes,” Ford said. “Those four-pitch walks to start off the inning, but after that she settled in nicely, did her job. And [Lessentine], the same thing. I think just continuing to work on hitting her spots, and she did a good job of changing speeds.”

A&M will play the winner of Arizona State vs. McNeese at 2 p.m. CT on Saturday.