Another Big 12 Conference game, another struggle for the Kansas University softball team.

Texas A&M pounded 12 hits off KU pitcher Kara Pierce, and despite stranding 13 runners still beat the reeling Jayhawks 6-1 Saturday at Jayhawk Field.

It was KU’s fourth straight Big 12 loss, and yet another letdown after a promising start to the season.

“As a young group, we’ve been struggling to get our swagger back,” coach Tracy Bunge said. “We had that for five weeks in the season, because we really played consistently.”

Bunge said the stumble started in a 10-0 loss March 23 to Oklahoma. Since that game, KU is just 2-6 against Division One opponents, including losses to Iowa State and Texas Tech, two teams near the bottom of the Big 12 standings.

Saturday wasn’t much better. Besides a solo home run by freshman Destiny Frankenstein in the third inning, the Jayhawks (22-14 overall, 2-8 Big 12) never threatened to cut into a 2-0 Aggie advantage, coming off a first-inning homer by Selena Collins. A&M (29-14, 7-4) added single runs in the fifth and sixth innings and two more in the seventh.

Pierce (14-9) pitched the complete game, striking out seven and walking five in the loss. Her counterpart, A&M’s Jessica Slataper, was phenomenal, walking just one and striking out eight for the complete-game victory. She improved to 10-10.

“There were some things that Kara can build on,” Bunge said. “There were some glimpses of the way I know Kara can throw for an entire ballgame.”

Kansas and A&M wrap up the two-game weekend set at 1 p.m. today at Jayhawk Field.

Texas A&M 6, Kansas 1

Texas A&M 200 011 2 — 6 12 1

Kansas 001 000 0 — 1 5 1

W– Jessica Slataper (10-10). L– Kara Pierce (14-9).

HR–KU: Destiny Frankenstein (3). A&M: Selena Collins (11), Lindsay Wilhelmson (8).