Texas A&M outfielder Frankie Vrazel makes a catch at the wall during the game against Texas Tech on Feb. 7, 2026 at Davis Diamond in College Station.
Texas A&M athletics
Texas A&M head coach Trisha Ford walks away from the circle Feb. 7, 2026 during agame against Texas Tech at Davis Diamond.
Texas A&M athletics
Coming into its first ranked game of the season, No. 11 Texas A&M head coach Trisha Ford sounded prepared for the Saturday afternoon’s top-15 matchup against No. 1 Texas Tech.
“We, on paper, are not as good as Tech, you know, according to everybody. But we, as a team, are better than anybody in this country,” she said before the game.
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A record crowd of 2,880 at Davis Diamond — with a couple folks behind the outfield wall — saw the Aggies go toe-to-toe with last year’s national runner-up. But A&M lost 3-2 to the Red Raiders. Texas Tech’s ace pitcher NiJaree Canaday led the way with five strikeouts on 77 pitches through seven innings. She did not allow a run over the final six innings of the game.
The Aggies started right-hander Sydney Lessentine in the circle, and the Red Raider power showed against the sophomore in the first inning with back-to-back home runs to take an early lead. But the Aggies responded with a Michaela Wark bomb to tie the game 2-2.
From there, it was a battle between two of the best teams in the country last season in front of Aggie stars like football coach Mike Elko and national-champion volleyball coach Jamie Morrison.
MORE: Texas A&M softball is ‘finding a rhythm’ ahead of season opener
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Texas A&M hangs tough with Texas Tech
Just four teams in the competitive, talented SEC had a better fielding percentage than A&M softball last season. And for three straight innings Saturday, the Aggies defense showed its strength, once again.
Lessentine received some help with a diving infield catch from Oklahoma State transfer Tallen Edwards to save a single. Then speedy outfielder Frankie Vrazel stole extra bases, or possibly a home run from TTU’s Taylor Pannell with a catch while crashing into a wall.
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At the top of the fourth, Ford pulled Lessentine, who’d finished with two strikeouts, no walks and five hits allowed along with the two runs. In came left-hander Kate Munnerlyn. With her changeup, the Red Raiders went three up, three down on seven pitches.
The teams entered the final three innings knotted at 2.
Late mistakes doom the Aggies
Eventually, A&M’s defense let the team down.
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In the top of the fifth, the game’s first error, made by Wark, put Mihyia Davis on first. Davis advanced to second when a passed ball eluded Maddie Sauni. Mia Williams’ RBI double put the Raiders in front 3-2, and Ford brought out Sidnee Peters to replace Munnerlyn in the circle. Peters’ one pitch forced an infield pop up to get the Aggies out of the inning.
Peters set the Raiders down 1-2-3 in the top of the seventh in hopes of kickstarting an Aggies comeback. Canady struck out on a pitch on the outside corner of the zone. Peters had three strikeouts over seven batters in 2⅓ innings.
Texas A&M head coach Trisha Ford talks to pitcher Sydney Lessentine (7) during the game against LSU at Davis Diamond on Saturday, April 12, 2025 in College Station, Texas.
Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman
Texas A&M hitters toward the bottom of the order could not start any offense. Pitch-hitter DeeDee Baldwin’s patience forced a full count but she ended up as the fifth and final strikeout victim of Canady.
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The Aggies play Providence again at 9:30 a.m. Sunday morning at Davis Diamond.
Earlier results from the Aggie Classic
In Game 1 of Thursday night’s doubleheader and season opener against Abilene Christian, the Aggies run-ruled the Wildcats 8-0 highlighted by three home runs and Edwards stealing home. Lessentine started in the circle, giving up one hit and dishing out seven strikeoutsstrike outs.
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A&M’s second game Thursday featured another run-rule win, but this time 9-1 against Utah State. Peters finished the game in the circle and dealt 10 strikeouts while allowing a hit and a walk. Shortstop KK Dement hit a grand slam to put the game away in the fourth.
A game Friday for the Aggies against Providence was A&M’s third straight run-rule win. Munnerlyn and Peters shared responsibilities in the 9-1 victory giving up four hits and one walk, but dished 12 strikeouts through six innings. Providence took an early 1-0 lead in the second but the Aggies offense went to work and scored with patience at the plate without scoring a single home run.