Texas A&M survived a wild opening to its super regional against Texas on Friday, winning 6-5 in the first game of the best-of-three series. Texas A&M (44-13), the No. 16 seed in the NCAA Tournament, will try to qualify for the Women’s College World Series by eliminating the No. 1 Longhorns (50-8) in the second game at 4 p.m. today at McCombs Field.

More: As expected, Texas and Texas A&M softball delivers big hits, drama and fireworks | Bohls

Can Texas stay alive on a blistering afternoon on its home turf? Follow along with the Statesman.

Middle 9: Texas 9, Texas A&M 8

Texas uses some small ball and speed to grab the one-run lead. Now, the season depends on the ballyhooed pitching staff. Looks like Texas coach Mike White will stick with Mac Morgan, who has yet to allow a base-runner in 1.1 innings.

Top 9: Texas 9, Texas A&M 8

Texas freshman Kayden Henry legs out an infield single, steals second, reaches third on a infield out by Bella Dayton and scores on a fielder’s choice by Ashton Maloney The throw home is errant but the speedy Henry would have scored anyway.

End 8: Texas 8, Texas A&M 8

No problems for Texas pitcher Mac Morgan, the third Longhorn to take the circle today. She doesn’t allow a base-runner and we go to the ninth. What’s at stake? Nothing less than a Women’s College World Series berth and arguably the best season in Texas history – excluding previous appearances in the WCWS, of course.

Middle 8: Texas 8, Texas A&M 8

The Longhorns leave two on against Texas A&M’s Emiley Kennedy. The last out by Joley Mitchell had warning-track power. The great Robert Cessna of the Bryan-College Station Eagle says Kennedy has thrown 233 pitches over the past two games. Unbelievable effort in this heat.

End 7: Texas 8, Texas A&M 8

Extra innings seems fitting for this series between No. 1 Texas and No. 16 Texas A&M, right? Both teams seem stunned after Aggie freshman Mya Perez tied the game with a 2-out, 3-run homer in the bottom of the seventh. Texas A&M ace Emiley Kennedy remains in the game; let’s see how Texas bounces back.

Bottom 7: Texas 8, Texas A&M 8

Texas A&M freshman Mya Perez just launched a 2-out, 3-run home run into the centerfield bleachers and we are suddenly tied and the crowd at McCombs Field is stunned. Mac Morgan is in the game to stop the bleeding and force extra innings.

Middle 7: Texas 8, Texas A&M 5

Bella Dayton blasts a 2-run homer into center field to give Texas pitcher Estelle Czech some breathing room, and the Longhorns are three outs away from a wild comeback and a game three against Texas A&M in the NCAA Tournament’s super regionals on Sunday.

Middle 6: Texas 6, Texas A&M 5

An epic inning for Texas included an overturned call at home plate and RBI hits from Mia Scott, Vivi Martinez and Reese Atwood. Oh, and a stoppage in play because of an issue with the padded wall, some trash on the field, or perhaps both. Five runs, four hits and two errors from the Aggies. Wow. Does this series have even more late-game drama in it?

Top 6: Texas 6, Texas A&M 5

More drama in the sixth. Freshman Kayden Henry races home on a grounder from pinch hitter Vic Hunter and is called out on a tight play at the plate. But the sixth inning means an automatic replay, and the umpires overturn the call because of catcher impediment. Henry is safe, the Horns have two on with one out, and here comes Aggie pitcher Emiley Kennedy back in the game to try and finish what she started. Softball, folks; you can do that. Mia Scott greets Kennedy with an RBI single into center that scores Ashton Maloney, and Vivi Martinez follows with a 2-RBI shot. Once again, the Texas bats have heated up late in the game. Oh my.

And you remember that wardrobe malfunction years ago? We have a wall-pad malfunction, apparently. Play has stopped, players are off the field, workers are looking at the outfield wall like I do my car engine when I hear some strange knocking, and we’re in a delay.

The UT worker pulls out some duct tape, and we’re ready to play ball again. One on, one out for Reese Atwood, who promptly gives Texas the lead with a bloop single into left field.

End 5: Texas A&M 5, Texas 1

This feels familiar for anxious Texas fans, whose team trailed 6-0 on Friday after five innings. Texas rallied for five runs in the final two frames yesterday, so four runs is light work, right? Texas A&M will come back with spinballer Brooke Vestal this frame. It doesn’t need to be said, but No. 1 Texas has six outs to save its season against No. 16 Texas A&M and force a third and decisive game on Sunday.

Bottom 5: Texas A&M 5, Texas 1

Texas A&M’s Trinity Cannon loves her some McCombs Field. She played here at state for Forney High School and she just launched her third home run of this series series. This 2-run shot off Texas starter Teagan Kavan has the Longhorns on the ropes. That one screamed over the left-field wall. That’s all for Kavan, who gave up six hits and five runs in 5.1 innings. Senior Estelle Czech is now warming up for Texas.

Middle 5: Texas A&M 3, Texas 1

A brilliant play by Aggie shortstop Koko Wooley, who turns a double play to end a promising inning. But the Texas dugout isn’t happy, since replay shows Katie Stewart appeared safe at first. But Texas is out of challenges and the tension mounts for the No. 1 Longhorns, who are six outs from elimination.

Top 5: Texas A&M 3, Texas 1

Concerning how Aggie coach Trisha Ford will use her bullpen? We have our answer. Brooke Vestal, who has a nasty spinball, comes in for Texas A&M starter Emiley Kennedy to face Katie Stewart. There’s one on and no outs for Texas after Kennedy plunked Reese Atwood.

End 4: Texas A&M 3, Texas 1

Three up, three down for the first time since the first inning for Texas pitcher Teagan Kavan, who has settled into this game. Now it’s about the Longhorn bats against Texas A&M starter Emiley Kennedy – and it’s about how Aggie coach Trisha Ford will use her bullpen considering Kennedy has now thrown 11 innings in blistering heat over the past 24 hours.

Middle 4: Texas A&M 3, Texas 1

The Longhorns finally get on the board against Texas A&M starter Emiley Kennedy with a solo shot by Joley Mitchell, but Texas coach Mike White thinks it should be more. He signaled Bella Dayton to round third and go home on a shot into center field by Mia Scott, but Dayton holds at third as the throw to home goes wide. Vivi Martinez flies out for the third out in the next at-bat, and White gives Dayton an earful.

Top 4: Texas A&M 3, Texas 1

The Longhorns finally get to Texas A&M starter Emiley Kennedy. Leadoff hitter Joley Mitchell, the transfer from Notre Dame, launches a full-count homer over the left-field wall and screams in joy while rounding the bags. The other Longhorn hitters hope that stuff is contagious.

End 3: Texas A&M 3, Texas 0

A big challenge by Texas coach Mike White overturns a call and helps keep Texas within three runs. Trinity Cannon was originally called safe at second after a toss from third baseman Mia Scott, but replay calls her out by an inch. The Aggies end up stranding two. Huge escape by the Longhorns and starter Teagan Kavan, who has given up four hits, two walks and hit a batter in three innings.

Middle 3: Texas A&M 3, Texas 0

The first big mistake by the Aggies all series, but they survive the error. Second baseman Rylen Wiggins has a chance to turn a double-play that would have ended the inning but short-arms the throw to second into left field. Vivi Martinez is safe and Reese Atwood follows with a single to load the bases, but Texas A&M starter Emiley Kennedy fans Katie Stewart and gets Alyssa Washington to hit into a weak grounder. That inning could haunt Texas coach Mike White if the Horns don’t rally.

End 2: Texas A&M 3, Texas 0

A 2-run home run from centerfielder Jazmine Hill gives the Aggies the early lead, and the pressure begins to ratchet up on the No. 1 Longhorns, who will be eliminated from the NCAA Tournament with a loss. A 2-out RBI single by Kennedy Powell adds to the lead. Texas pitcher Teagan Kavan gave up three hits and two walks as well as a hit batter that frame, and only a nice throw by catcher Reese Atwood that caught Rylin Wiggins stealing helps keep it a three-run game. How long will Texas coach Mike White stick with Kavan?

Bottom 2: Texas A&M 2, Texas 0

Small ball? Not these Aggies. After Julia Cottrell draws a leadoff walk, Texas A&M coach Trisha Ford bypasses any thought of bunting her to second and Jazmine Hill launches a homer over the left-center wall. That’s the third Aggie homer of the series.

More: Texas and Texas A&M softball coaches were ejected Friday. Are they available for game two?

Middle 2: Texas A&M 0, Texas 0

Alyssa Washington draws a leadoff walk against Texas A&M starter Emiley Kennedy, but the Longhorns can’t make it count. They’ve now stranded three runners through the first two innings. A one-out, pop-out bunt attempt by freshman outfielder Kayden Henry really hurt Texas that inning.

End 1: Texas A&M 0, Texas 0

A much better start for Texas today. The Longhorns gave up three runs in the opening frame on Friday, but freshman pitcher Teagan Kavan retires the side in order today. She had lots of help from the outfield, including a diving catch by left-fielder Bella Dayton on a well-hit ball from Koko Wooley for the second out.

Middle 1: Texas A&M 0, Texas 0

Texas A&M ace Emiley Kennedy gives up several hard-hit balls but she escapes the inning without any damage. Shortstop Vivi Martinez had a 2-out hit for Texas and Reese Atwood followed with a walk, and a shot by freshman Katie Stewart drives centerfielder Jazmine Hill to the wall, but Hill makes the catch.

Texas pitcher Teagan Kavan will face Aggie ace Emiley Kennedy in game two

Less than 24 hours after earning a complete-game win, Texas A&M ace Emiley Kennedy will return to the circle and try to close out the series. Kennedy gave up six hits with five walks and five strikeouts in game one, so keep an eye on how big a toll those seven innings took on a field with temperatures over 140 degrees. Texas coach Mike White will counter with Teagan Kavan, the Big 12’s freshman of the year who leads the Longhorns in innings pitched (108.1), wins (18) and strikeouts (113) this season.

Diminished lake levels in Austin have caused problems for boat renters of what is expected to be a busy Memorial Day weekend.

Lake levels at locations across Austin and Central Texas are in various stages of flow, according to the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Water Dashboard. Most water sources around Austin appear to be at normal or steady levels, though some, including sections of the Colorado and Blanco rivers, are measuring much below normal for this time of year.

Effects of decreased lake levels have been felt by Jacob Williams, owner of ATX Boat Rentals. The company normally operates on Lake Austin and Lake Travis, and it typically allows guests to board its boats at the Mansfield Dam Park Boat Ramp.

More: Here are 10 most popular boating locations in Texas and rules to follow

However, the ramp has been closed since September 2023 due to low water levels, according to the Travis County Parks Department. That has forced Williams, his company and his customers to pivot ahead of Memorial Day.

“It’s forced us to move everything,” Williams said. “We have to tow boats now over to Lake Austin all the time instead of just going to my house (and) hopping on boats that are already in the water.”

What are the lake levels at Lake Travis?

Lake Travis is about 48 feet below its normal level, according to Go Lake Travis, an informational site. That’s much lower than its level at this time in 2022 and 2023, according to LakesOnline.com.

What water levels are needed to boat safely?

With water levels down in some lakes and rivers across Central Texas, it’s important to know how much water you need to safely operate a boat. A variety of factors go into determining whether a body of water is deep enough to operate a boat in, but the biggest things to pay attention to are your boat’s weight and the shape of its hull.

A good rule of thumb is to make sure any body of water you’re boating on has at least one foot of water in it, according to BoatPowered.com. Even then, boaters should use depth monitors to ensure the water they’re in is deeper than that to avoid problems.

Lake Austin to experience influx of boaters this summer

Williams said having to switch around logistical operations hasn’t had a major effect on his business, but with more people being forced to use fewer lakes to rent and drive their boats, some of the lake options are becoming clogged.

“When nobody can get their boats on Lake Travis, it causes Lake Austin to be more and more packed,” Williams said. “Lake Austin will always be an option, but it’s not fun being on a smaller lake that’s extra packed.”

The city of Austin is enforcing its annual ban this Memorial Day weekend on the use of personal watercraft, wet bikes, motorized surfboards, and similar devices on Lake Austin. Kayaks, canoes, paddleboards and other non-motorized devices are still allowed.

No plans for Memorial Day? Here are 5 things to do around Austin over the holiday weekend

Texas Parks and Wildlife warns of low lake levels

A record 3.6 million Texans are expected to travel for Memorial Day, signaling a possible boon for tourism activities in the Lone Star State. That aligns with ATX Boat Rentals’ busy season, which typically begins around May and extends into September, Williams said.

That figure, coupled with Texas having more square miles of inland waterways than any other state and nearly 560,000 registered boats, means the state’s waterways are likely to be packed for the long weekend.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is warning boaters of potential hazards on waterways. A year ago, the state saw 13 boating accidents during Memorial Day weekend, resulting in two boating fatalities and two drownings.

To avoid those types of accidents, the department is reminding boaters to operate at safe speeds and keep an eye out for low water areas and submerged objects, among other things.

Is Travis County in a drought?

Not really, but some parts of Central Texas are. Eastern parts of the county are not experiencing any drought conditions, and the western half is mostly experiencing abnormal to severe dry conditions.

Counties northwest of San Antonio are experiencing an extreme drought, the worst drought level in the state.

To check your county’s drought stage, check out the U.S. Drought Monitor.