TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – On the official release day of the “Bama SB” documentary about the 2012 Championship team, No. 13 Alabama lost the rubber match to No. 12 Texas A&M, 9-4. The game was knotted up in the sixth inning, but Texas A&M’s explosive five-run inning was too much for the Tide.
During the first three innings of the game, it appeared to be following a similar path as game one – a pitcher’s duel between Emiley Kennedy and Kayla Beaver. Both aces were pumping out 1-2-3 innings with relative ease. However, in the fourth inning, everything changed.
After a fielding error and back-to-back walks, the Aggies were threatening with the bases loaded. Beaver forced a fly-out to right but right fielder Kendal Clark’s throw to the plate was a wild one and the Aggies came away with two instead of just one. Defensive miscues were a big theme in this one for the Tide, committing four total errors.
“We can’t give a team four extra outs with errors plus even more mental mistakes that don’t go down as errors. We just can’t do that,” said head coach Patrick Murphy.
The next half-inning, freebases started to hurt Kennedy as well. A single by Jenna Johnson and two walks loaded the bases for the Tide. Abby Duchscherer put Alabama on the board with a hit-by-pitch. Then, Kali Heivilin gave the Tide the lead with a two-run chopper up the middle.
The Aggies answered right back in the fifth inning with two runs to retake the lead. Beaver struck out the first batter of the inning but a hit-by-pitch, double, and then an RBI single tied the game. The Aggies then took the lead on a run-scoring groundout.
Kenleigh Cahalan did it all herself in the home half of the fifth. The senior led the inning off with a triple to right center. Then, with two outs, Cahalan scored on a wild pitch by Kennedy.
The Aggies ultimately put the nail in the coffin with a five-run 6th inning. With two runners on, Aiyanna Coleman drove a single into right, driving in two. Then, two batters later, Amari Harper smashed one up the middle, driving in two more. The scoring was capped off with a dropped fly-ball in the infield, scoring another for the Aggies.
“All of the errors are makeable plays, which is the frustrating thing. We’re all beat up, it’s a long season, but we have to bounce back,” Murphy said.
Emiley Kennedy made quick work of the Tide offense in the 6th and 7th to secure the series victory. This series loss is just the Tide’s second to the Aggies since they joined the SEC in 2013, and the first in Tuscaloosa.
As for the positives, Jenna Johnson went 2-for-3, extending her on-base streak to 10 games. Kali Heivilin’s two RBIs extend her season total to 22, ranking second on the team.
Alabama fell to 30-10 on the season and 7-8 in conference play. Next, the Tide will head to Fayetteville for an SEC weekend series against the Razorbacks.
