In a high-stakes rivalry showdown under the Friday night lights, the No. 3 Texas Longhorns were handed a stunning 14-2 defeat by No. 1 Texas A&M in the semifinals of the 2025 SEC Softball Tournament. The game, played at Jack Turner Stadium in Athens, Georgia, ended after five innings via run rule, marking a tough exit for the Longhorns in their inaugural SEC postseason campaign.
The Aggies wasted no time asserting dominance, storming out of the gate with a six-run first inning that set the tone. The offensive onslaught continued into the second frame as Texas A&M poured on five more runs, ballooning their lead to an overwhelming 11-0. Just an inning later, a towering three-run homer stretched the Aggies’ advantage to 14-0, leaving the Longhorns searching for answers before they had completed one full cycle through the batting order.
Despite the lopsided scoreboard, redshirt junior Ashton Maloney continued to shine as a bright spot in the Texas lineup. Maloney opened the game with a first-pitch single and would go on to collect three hits on the night—accounting for half of Texas’ offensive output. In the fourth inning, she sparked the Longhorns’ lone rally with an infield single. Freshman Kayden Henry followed with another infield hit, and both would eventually score on a clean single to left by junior catcher Reese Atwood.
Trying to keep the momentum alive, Katie Stewart worked a full-count walk to load the bases. However, the Aggies’ infield defense remained sharp, ending the inning and thwarting any potential comeback. Maloney would notch her third hit of the game in the fifth, a two-out single to left, but it was too little, too late as Texas was unable to mount any further offense before the game was called.
After the game, head coach Mike White reflected on the bitter loss with raw honesty.
“Obviously, we got beat pretty soundly today,” White admitted. “It hurts, for sure, losing a rivalry game in a semifinal of the SEC Championship, but we were outplayed by a better team today. We’ve got to take it, learn from it, and hopefully do something a little bit better… It was a good crowd tonight, so that was exciting to see. People came out to watch some good softball. Again, it’s really just tough to speak right now.”
Despite the emotional setback, Maloney emphasized that the journey is far from over.
“I think what’s important right now is to understand that our season is not over,” she said. “Postseason started this week, but we have a new season starting. None of what happened this week, none of what happened this season matters. Starting on Sunday for the selection show, it’s a new season.”
With the NCAA Tournament looming, the Longhorns now shift focus from SEC heartbreak to national championship hopes, determined to bounce back and make a deeper run on the sport’s biggest stage.
