Texas A&M Aggies
Overall Rank: #8
Conference Rank: #3 SEC
Texas A&M returns just about everybody to a team that reached the World Series last year. The expectations are understandably high, but it remains to be seen if the Aggies can take the next step and compete with the likes of Florida for an SEC title. But whether they win an SEC regular season title or not, the Aggies will be extremely dangerous come tournament time.
2017: 47-13, 16-7
2017 Postseason: NCAA
Coach: Jo Evans
Key Departed Players:
None
Key Returning Players:
Riley Sartain, IF, .350 BA, 13 HR, 49 RBI
Keeli Milligan, IF/OF, .319 BA, 0 HR, 9 RBI, 22 SB
Kaitlyn Alderink, IF, .317 BA, 1 HR, 24 RBI
Ashley Walters, C, .315 BA, 3 HR, 37 RBI
Tori Vidales, IF, .298 BA, 17 HR, 46 RBI
Lexi Smith, P, 1.63 ERA, 12-1 W-L, 107.2 IP, 118 SO
Trinity Harrington, P, 2.13 ERA, 14-4 W-L, 115.0 IP, 68 SO
Samantha Show, P, 2.20 ERA, 19-7 W-L, 137.0 IP, 119 SO
Projection:
Texas A&M scored nearly six runs per game last season and that should be the case again in 2018. Senior Tori Vidales belted 17 homeruns with 46 RBIs and Riley Sartain added 13 homeruns and 49 RBIs. Ashley Walters is a superb catcher who also hit .315 with 37 RBIs. Add in more power with Kristen Cuyos and the speed of Keeli Milligan and Kaitlyn Alderink and this should be one of the most dangerous offenses in the country. Coach Jo Evans also has three pitchers who hurled at least 100 innings each in 2017. Lexi Smith was the most productive, going 12-1 with a 1.63 ERA. Fellow senior Trinity Harrington went 14-4 with a 2.13 ERA. Samantha Show was the workhorse though, throwing 137.0 innings in 31 appearances. The junior went 19-7 with a 2.20 ERA. Those are all very good numbers in a conference that often has dangerous lineups from top to bottom. The Aggies went to the WCWS last year and that was a relatively young team. This time around the expectations are even higher.
Projected Postseason: NCAA Softball Tournament
Madness 2018 Draft Rankings:
#14 Lexi Smith
