Texas Longhorns Softball Falls to Texas A&M in Game 1 of Austin Super Regional

Late-minute thrillers and two ejections made the first game of the Austin Super Regional a drama as expected between the two arch-rivals.

Texas pitcher Citlaly Gutierrez (77) pitches during the Big 12 softball tournament game between the Texas Longhorns and the Kansas Blue Jays at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, on Friday, May 12, 2023. / Nathan J. Fish/The Oklahoman / USA TODAY

A four-run sixth inning was not enough for No. 1 Texas Softball.

The game that could have been a dominating win for the Aggies ended in a thriller separated by a single run and two assistant coach ejections, as the Longhorns fell 6-5 in Austin.

When Texas A&M led 6-0 at the top of the sixth inning, Texas assistant coach Steve Singleton and A&M's Russ Heffley got heated in the diamond. Heffley walked into the diamond yelling after Texas first baseman Katie Stewart had her foot on the bag as Aggie third baseman Kennedy Powell tripped over Stewart's shin and sent her tumbling. Singleton immediately went to confront him.

“Following the final out of the top of the sixth inning, Texas inquired about the contact ruled incidental at first base," said Austin Super Regional Crew Chief Paul Edds. "An assistant coach from each team met the umpires at home plate. At the conclusion of the discussion, the umpires were trying to escort the coaches to return to their respective dugouts to continue the game when inappropriate comments were exchanged and both coaches were given a behavioral ejection.”

Texas A&M pitcher Emiley Kennedy was key for the Aggie victory and held the Longhorns to no runs until the sixth inning. At the bottom of the sixth, freshman pinch hitter Vic Hunter brought Texas back in the game with a grand slam, and in the seventh, catcher Reese Atwood got herself a solo homer.

“Yeah, the late-game success against Kennedy is definitely momentum going into tomorrow’s game," Atwood said. "I think we now know that we can do it now. The first few innings were a struggle against Kennedy, she’s a great pitcher, so seeing the fight at the end shows what we are going to come in and do tomorrow.”

Texas must win the second game of the series to survive an early tournament elimination.