Game #51: No. 2 Tennessee 5, No. 4 Texas A&M 1
Records: Texas A&M (42-9, 15-7), Tennessee (40-12, 15-8)
WP: Sage Mardjetko (11-2)
LP: Emily Leavitt (4-2)
Box Score
Game #52: No. 4 Texas A&M 5, No. 2 Tennessee 0 (Suspended, Bottom 2)
Back at it tomorrow.
After a 5-1 loss in No. 4 Texas A&M's first game of a Friday doubleheader against No. 2 Tennessee, the Aggies were on their way to a bounce-back win when weather halted play in the middle of the second inning.
Up 5-0, storms rolled into Knoxville just as the Aggies were rolling and All-American Emiley Kennedy in the circle for the Maroon & White.
After throwing 126 pitches and only allowing one hit in Thursday's opener, Kennedy's weather-shortened appearance lasted just one inning.
"Lefty" will be able to get more rest, as will Tennessee's ace Karlyn Pickens, before the series finale resumes at 9:30 a.m. CT on Saturday.
Runs were rare for both SEC squads in Thursday's 1-0 affair, and in the first game of the doubleheader, they were just rare for A&M.
A poor start from Emily Leavitt put the Aggies behind early. The senior dished out back-to-back free bases with a hit to follow. With the bases juices, Tennessee's Sophia Nugent reached on a RBI fielder's choice, and a sacrifice fly from Gabby Leach pushed the deficit to 2-0.
Nugent went on to have a stellar day at the plate.
After Sage Mardjetko retired eight straight Aggies, the Maroon & White found some momentum.
A first-inning triple moved Koko Wooley into the No. 4 spot on A&M’s career hits list, and to follow, the superstar shortstop recorded her second hit of the day to lead off the fourth. Mya Perez moved her over with a single, but neither runner scored.
Relieving Leavitt, freshman Sydney Lessentine gave up a solo shot to Nugent, extending the Tennessee lead to 3-0. Yet, the Nugent show didn't stop there.
In the fifth, the Lady Vols' catcher launched a two-run bomb to increase the gap to 5-0. Trisha Ford then looked to Kate Munnerlyn to close out the game.
It wasn't until the sixth that A&M plated a run.
Wooley and Perez remained productive, both singling to lead off the frame. Wooley's speed was used to score on Perez's RBI single for the Aggies' only run of game one.
After throwing 112 pitches on Thursday, Pickens entered in relief, giving up just one hit in two innings of relief.
Despite leading by four, Tennessee stayed aggressive on the basepaths. Ella Dodge's hit went over the head of Frankie Vrazel in right field for a triple. Yet, Munnerlyn escaped the inning with no additional damage.
A&M failed to muster up a comeback attempt, dropping game one, 5-1.
Starting the series finale on Friday evening, the hosts started freshman Erin Nuwer, but her outing was short-lived as the Aggies' heart of the order returned to form.
Mac Barbara's RBI double opened the scoring for the Aggies, as two more runs followed courtesy of Amari Harper. With a 3-0 lead, Kennedy returned to work in the circle, recording back-to-back Ks in the first.
Freshman Peyton Tanner took over for Nuwer, and while Tennessee's rookies struggled, A&M's thrived. Kelsey Mathias hit her first career home run to stretch the advantage to 4-0. The scoring continued in the second, as Perez recorded her fourth hit and second RBI of the day.
Up 5-0, the Aggies were dominating until the weather delay halted play.
They aim to continue their pursuit of the series as game three will resume on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. CT.
