How to watch: UConn softball back in NCAA Tournament, first up vs. Texas A&M

The UConn softball team is taking its momentum into the NCAA Tournament, set to face Texas A&M on Friday in College Station, Texas.

A year ago, in the program’s first tournament appearance since 2001, the Huskies were beaten by Nebraska and LSU and sent home without a win. This season, the Huskies won 23 of their last 28 games, capturing the Big East’s automatic bid, to earn another trip to the field of 64, and the part of the country where softball is traditionally played at the highest level.

“I think we’ve become better at playing bigger teams with a better mindset,” center fielder Katlyn Kibling said. “Last year, we had to play against (Nebraska’s) Jordy Bahl, it’s an intimidating name, she’s a great player. But it’s still softball, go out there and compete as hard as we can, don’t shy away from the moment.”

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Texas A&M (36-17) is the 15th seed in the field, high enough to get to host at David Diamond with the game on ESPN 2 at 2 p.m. Arizona State and McNeese are the other teams in the regional.

The Aggies, making their 36th tournament appearance, are one of 12 SEC teams in the field, with six of the top eight seeds coming from the conference, so they have played top-shelf competition all season. They were beaten by No. 1 overall NCAA Tournament seed Auburn in the first round of the SEC tournament.

“Our first approach will be how to beat UConn and what’s the game plan for that,” Aggies coach Trisha Ford said this week. “For me, it’s never about who is in the other dugout, it’s about us and how we control the game. Obviously (UConn) is well deserving to be in this field and are going to be tough.”

Ford coached Arizona State before coming to Texas A&M, where she has a 163-64 record. She has won 560 games in her coaching career at Fresno State, ASU and TAMU.

The Aggies’ top pitchers are Sidne Peters (14-5, 2.72 ERA), who has 124 strikeouts in 113 innings, and Sydney Lessentine (14-4, 2.94). As a team, Texas A&M hit .341, holding opponents to a .240 average and outscoring them 357-195. Mya Perez, hitting .434 with 17 homers, a whopping .907 slugging percentage, Kennedy Powell (.418 average, 17 for 20 in steal attempts) and Micaela Wark, who has 19 homers and 65 RBI in 51 games, are among the most potent hitters in their lineup.

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“We’re not just happy to be there,” UConn coach Laura Valentino said. “I mean, we’re happy, we’re exited, but we’re going there to compete.”

UConn (31-26) uses its whole roster. Shortstop Cat Petteys, the Big East Player of the Year, is hitting .397 with 19 home runs and 57 RBI. She homered for the Huskies as a freshman in the NCAA Tournament last year. Kaitlyn Breslin has 11 homers and 56 RBI, Savannah Ring is hitting .342. The Huskies, 68 for 77 in stolen base attempts, play aggressive on the bases.

Jessica Walter (8-8, 3.91), a grad transfer from Providence, was MVP if the Big East tournament with two complete game victories over Creighton, including the deciding game on Saturday.

“I knew giving the ball to that kid in a big moment, she was going to find a way to win for this program,” Valentino said. “I just knew she had the ‘it’ factor.”

Caprice Bohmer (13-9) was the Huskies’ top winner in the circle.

UConn and Texas A&M have met four times, twice in 2014, twice in 2018, with the Aggies winning three of the four games, all at Davis Diamond. The Huskies played a three-game series at the SEC’s Arkansas, losing all three, though two were competitive. The Razorbacks are the No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

“We’ve been talking about how exciting it is, and how it’s a totally different feel from the Big East,” Walter said. “Being a fifth-year, I know the games are coming to an end, so just being present with my teammates and enjoying every moment.”

How to watch

UConn softball at Texas A&M
NCAA Tournament Regional
Friday, 2 p.m.
TV: ESPN2