No. 2 Texas A&M homers thrice in five-inning win over Louisiana, 11-2
Game #46: No. 2 Texas A&M 11, Louisiana 2 (5 innings)
Records: Texas A&M (40-6, 13-4), Louisiana (23-23, 9-9)
WP: Grace Sparks (8-1)
LP: Tyra Clary (5-5)
Box Score
Nobody likes a bad taste in their mouth, especially Trisha Ford.
After a tough series-finale loss to Missouri, No. 2 Texas A&M wanted to work its way back into the win column as quickly as possible.
A couple of big swings allowed the Aggies to do just that.
Headlined by Allie Enright's grand slam in the fourth inning, A&M launched a trio of home runs in the 11-2 run rule of Louisiana.
"I thought we did a tremendous job today,” Ford said. “Offensively, we faced a lot of different looks. We had a thumber. We had up. We had down. We had a changeup-heavy kid. I thought we had quality at-bats."
Leading by four heading into the bottom of the fourth, A&M held a comfortable lead with the top of the lineup due up.
Back-to-back hits from Kennedy Powell and the red-hot Amari Harper kicked off the inning. After an intentional walk to slugger Mac Barbara, Louisiana's Bethaney Noble struggled to find the strike zone, dishing out a four-pitch walk to Koko Wooley, gifting the Aggies a run.
Going 0-for-4 with the bases juiced in Friday's loss, the Aggies made sure to capitalize when it mattered. Enright's seventh homer of the year was struck well to center field to cap off a six-RBI day for the senior.
"That last game at Mizzou, I felt like every inning we had runners and scoring position and left them on," Enright said. "We just couldn't get that big hit, which was frustrating. Today was a nice refresher."
From the first inning, Ford's squad was ready to go.
An RBI single from Barbara kicked off the offensive beatdown. Another two runs followed courtesy of Enright with a two-out, bases-clearing double.
Louisiana punched a run across in the third as Savannah White hit a solo home run, one of two hits given up by Aggie starter Grace Sparks through three innings of work.
A pair of round-trippers in the third extended the Aggies' lead. Barbara crushed her eighth of the year directly into the scoreboard before KK Dement cleared it with a two-run bomb.
"I can't say enough about her," Enright said. "She works so hard and deserves all the success she is having."
Freshman Sydney Lessentine entered the circle, looking to firmly hold the Aggies' lead. An RBI double was the only damage done before the offensive outburst ensued.
The ever-reliable Emiley Kennedy retired the side to close out the game before a golden opportunity capped off Lefty's final midweek contest in Maroon & White.
A&M softball legend Amanda Scarborough presented the All-American with a golden ticket, meaning she will be drafted by one of the four inaugural teams of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League on May 3.
"I am just proud of her," Ford said. "What this kid has done since I have gotten here is just tremendous. I have asked a lot of her. I have demanded a lot of her. She will tell you I am the hardest on her.
"She has risen to those challenges. She's stuck with me for the rest of her life... She is forever stamped in my heart as somebody that helped build this program and make it where we are today."
Kennedy is one of 12 college softball players to receive a golden ticket.
"Going into this year, I knew I had aspirations to go beyond college softball,” Kennedy said. "I had a hint I was going to get drafted, but getting the golden ticket today was like, 'Wow. It's real.’"
With the golden ticket in hand, Kennedy and A&M's pitching staff will have a tall task ahead in calming Bri Ellis, who ranks fifth nationally in batting average (.490), and a potent Arkansas offense.
A win over the Ragin' Cajuns is a flavor A&M can savor for now. But more spice is coming as the No. 9 Razorbacks travel to College Station for a three-game set beginning on Friday, April 25, at 6 p.m. CT.