ATHENS, Ga. — Trisha Ford, the head coach of the Texas A&M softball team, expressed disappointment at the cancellation of the SEC Tournament championship game due to rain on Saturday evening. She stated, "Getting everyone home safely was more important than continuing with potentially hazardous gameplay."
Despite this setback, Ford remains optimistic about her team’s chances in the NCAA Tournament. The Aggies have been performing exceptionally well throughout their SEC tournament campaign, breaking multiple records during their two games played in Athens, Georgia.
Record-Breaking Performance
In their first game against Alabama on Friday afternoon, Texas A&M set new marks for total runs scored and RBIs in a single tournament session with 21 and 24 respectively. Their 14-2 win over rival Texas not only marked a significant victory but also set a new record for the largest margin of victory in SEC Tournament history.
SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey declared both teams co-champions due to safety concerns related to field conditions on Saturday evening. This achievement is notable as neither program has previously claimed an outright conference title within their respective divisions.
For Texas A&M, this represents a historic moment as they secured their first-ever appearance at an SEC Championship Game since joining the Southeastern Conference in 2012.
Season Highlights
The Aggies’ performance has been impressive throughout the season, winning eight consecutive games and currently ranked No. 3 nationally according to the USA Today/ESPN coaches poll. Key contributors to their success include:
- Sydney McKinney: Junior outfielder who hit three home runs against Alabama, tying her own school record for most career home runs by breaking through double digits earlier this season.
- Megan McCann: Junior pitcher who allowed just one run over seven innings pitched against Alabama while striking out six batters.
Looking Ahead
The Aggies will now look forward to competing in next week’s NCAA Regional round after being selected as one of four regional hosts announced earlier last week by NCAA officials.
As they prepare for what lies ahead, Ford emphasized that her team will continue working hard every day leading up to next week’s regional round: “We’re going into it feeling confident,” she said during an interview after Saturday’s cancellation announcement; “we know we’ve got some talented kids here.”
With determination and resilience guiding them forward, the Texas A&M softball team is poised for another exciting chapter in its storied history.
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