A&M outclassed and ousted in another home regional

Game #57: Arizona State 9, #15 Texas A&M 1 (5 innings)
Records: Texas A&M (38-19, 16-8), Arizona State (44-16, 11-13)
WP: Kenzie Brown (17-6)
LP: Sidne Peters (15-7)
Box Score

Yet another softball season has come and gone, as No. 15 seed Texas A&M lost 9-1 in a five-inning run-rule to Arizona State on Sunday, eliminating the Aggies from postseason contention.

It was at the hand of Sydney Lessentine, who had thrown just two pitches with loaded bases and no outs in the fifth.

Her third pitch spun, and with a crack of Brooklyn Ulrich’s bat, the ball sailed over the fence for a walk-off grand slam.

It’s the second year in a row the Aggies have hosted a home regional at Davis Diamond and failed to advance.

“It was great to come back home and get to play in front of the 12th Man,” senior third baseman Kennedy Powell said. “I want to thank these coaches for bringing me back home and letting me be.

“It was great to be here and great to have the support of the 12th Man and the coaches for sure.”

In the final game this season, the unbeaten Sun Devils came out hot, and the Aggies, facing elimination, seemed to have no answer.

Things looked promising in the beginning, as ASU’s No. 2 pitcher Meika Lauppe started in the circle rather than All-American Kenzie Brown.

Unfortunately, Lauppe’s hand was similarly limiting against A&M’s powerhouse offense.

“We have to execute at a higher level,” A&M head coach Trisha Ford said. “That’s really what it comes down to. We’ve been through it. We’ve played everybody. We just have to, at the end, really come together and play our best game. You gotta keep fighting.”

Paislie Allen was the sole batter to tally an RBI in the second inning, as Lauppe allowed one run on three hits, striking out two batters.

Aissa Silva briefly relieved Lauppe in the third inning, walking Kennedy Powell and Tallen Edwards at the top of the order. Any momentum the Aggies mustered quickly shifted, as Brown swiftly entered the circle.

The senior retired three straight batters to end the third, and there was no answer from then on out. Brown finished three scoreless innings, issuing just two hits and striking out a pair.

Allen, Kelsey Mathis and KK Dement were the only Aggies to record hits on Sunday, with the top of the lineup going 0-for-10. In short terms, the offense found no relief.

Sidne Peters, Kate Munnerlyn and Lessentine all saw innings in the circle, as Peters was ultimately tagged in the loss. The Aggies allowed 12 hits in the rout.

“I think Kate Munnerlyn, Sidne Peters and Sydney Lessentine...They’ve had really, really good moments,” Ford said. “I think we all saw it this year. For the most part, they're all sophomores. This was their first real season of playing. I think we just have to get consistent, and that’s my biggest message to them.”

With the end of the 2026 season, A&M will lose five seniors, but the Aggies retain a majority of their lineup.

Notably, Mya Perez and Sidne Peters will return as seniors for 2027.

Arizona State moves on to the Austin Super Regional. Meanwhile, moving on will again be tough in Aggieland.

“Thank you for making Davis Diamond an electric place, and stick with us,” Ford said. “We’re building something. I can see what’s coming on the horizon. There’s been a lot of good softball that’s been played at Davis Diamond the last couple of years, and we just have to elevate it at the end.”