Texas A&M softball’s season ends on its home field as the Aggies become the first 1-seed to not advance beyond the regional round.
After beating Liberty in game one to advance to the Super Regional clincher, the Aggies lost game two Sunday, 6-5.
It’s a tough way to end the year for an Aggies squad that came into the NCAA Tournament as the No. 1 overall seed.
“I think Liberty did a heck of a job. They’re always scrappy, just how, you know, their coach is,” A&M head coach Trisha Ford told reporters after the loss. “I’ll be able to look back and kind of see some things that maybe we could have done differently and, you know, hopefully have a different outcome… these kids work their tails off all year. They earned everything that was given to them and we also earned this loss.
“I mean, that’s unfortunate, but, you know, I just know it wasn’t on my bingo card, to be honest with you.”
The Aggies took a 3-0 lead into the fifth inning before the Lady Flames fought back, capturing six runs in the fifth and sixth to take their first lead.
Right fielder Rachel Roupe scored four of the runs on two home runs, while Savannah Jessee blasted a two-run shot in the sixth inning as well.
The Aggies’ starting pitcher, Sydney Lessentine, gave the Aggies a strong outing before they turned the game over to ace pitcher Emiley Kennedy.
Lessentine threw 88 pitches in 4⅔, allowing four hits and one run.
The Lady Flames’ starting pitcher, Elena Escobar, gave Liberty another solid outing, going 5⅓ innings and leaving the game with the lead.
Escobar finished the evening giving up four runs and 10 hits on 111 pitches.
Final updates from the action:
Aggies vs Lady Flames regional final Game 2 score, highlights
A 1-2-3 inning for the Aggies as they head to the bottom of the seventh inning needing one run to tie and two to extend their season to the Super Regional.
The Aggies continued to fight, with an Enright solo shot to left center field followed by an RBI single by Wooley to trim the deficit to 6-5.
It’s a new ball game as a Jessee two-run home run to left field tied the game at 3-3 before a Roupe three-run blast to the same spot put the Lady Flames up 6-3.
A&M put two runners on base but left them stranded as the lead remains at 3-1.
Roupe got the Lady Flames on the board with a no-doubt shot off the scoreboard in left field.
A&M went down 1-2-3 in the fourth as Escobar got her first scoreless inning since the first.
Liberty stranded one runner in the inning as Lessentine finished her fourth scoreless inning on the mound for A&M.
The inning was thought to be over. However, A&M challenged and won an obstruction call that kept it alive with two outs. From there, a Harper single drove in Wooley to give the Aggies a 3-0 lead at the end of the third.
Liberty got a pair of singles but did nothing with them as they continue to trail 2-0.
A&M strikes first with a two-run shot to center field by Dement.
The Lady Flames worked the bases loaded with one out but came up empty-handed, stranding all three.
A hit by pitch is all the offense A&M could muster in the first inning.
Two strikeouts and a soft ground out allowed A&M to get out of the inning 1-2-3.
Texas A&M batting order3B Kennedy PowellSS Koko WooleyDP Mya PerezC Mac Barbara1B Amari Harper2B KK DementCF Allie EnrightLF Kramer EscheteRF Kelsey MathisLiberty batting order2B Savannah WoodardRF Rachel Roupe1B Brynn McManusDP Alyssa HenaultCF KK MadreyLF Paige Doerr3B Rachel CraineC Savannah JesseeSS Savanah WhatleyTexas A&M starting pitcherLiberty starting pitcherWhat time does Texas A&M softball play Liberty today?Time: 7:10 p.m. CTDate: May 18Location: Davis Diamond in College Station.How to watch Texas A&M softball vs Liberty todayTV: ESPN2Streaming: ESPN +Radio: 1370 AM.
Texas A&M softball and Liberty will be broadcast and streamed on ESPN2. Other streaming options for the game include ESPN and Fubo.
Reach Texas A&M Beat Reporter Tony Catalina via email at ACatalina@gannett.com. Follow the American-Statesman on Facebook and X for more. Your subscription makes work like this possible. Access all of our best content with this tremendous offer.