KNOXVILLE - Tennessee put the go-ahead run on base in the seventh inning, but Texas A&M's Payton McBride pitched out of a jam to force a decisive third game in an NCAA softball Super Regional between Tennessee and Texas A&M.
A sixth inning single from Texas A&M's Tori Vidales lifted the Aggies to a 6-5 victory over Tennessee on Saturday night at Lee Stadium.
Tennessee led 4-1 after the top of the fifth, but a potent Aggies lineup rallied to force a decisive game three on Sunday at 3 p.m.
The winner of that game will go to next week's Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City.
The Volunteers (45-12) tied the game at 5-all with a run in the fifth and loaded the bases with one out. Texas A&M reliever Payton McBride entered and recorded two key outs to keep the game tied entering the sixth.
McBride, a freshman who pitched well in Tennessee's Friday night victory, struck out the Vols' Haley Bearden for the first out of the seventh inning. Katie Weimer singled with one out to put the game's tying run on. Abby Lockman followed with another single. McBride retired Tennessee's Scarlet McSwain and Aubrey Leach to end the game.
See tomorrow's Times Free Press for more details.