Texas A&M
Fordham
No. 19 Aggies Fall to Fordham
Feb 25, 2010 | Softball
Feb. 25, 2010
CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. - A 15-strikeout performance by Fordham's Jen Mineau kept the No. 19 Texas A&M softball team off the scoreboard as the Aggies dropped their first game of the Cathedral City Classic, 4-0, on Thursday afternoon at the Big League Dreams Sports Park.
A&M (10-2) recorded three hits in the game, two of which were doubles, but fell for the second time this season. The Rams improved to 4-1 with the victory.
"She (Mineau) threw strikes and made us chase pitches," commented head coach Jo Evans. "She looked like she had good movement on the ball and it looked like it was jumping a bit, but I didn't think we were particularly disciplined at the plate. We never settled in as hitters. She did a nice job."
Junior Rhi Kliesing picked up the first hit of the game for the Aggies in the second inning to mark only the second hit Mineau has given up all season.
It was not until the fourth inning that A&M tallied another hit and it was a lead-off double to right center by junior Kelsey Spittler. The Aggies were unable to push the run across and the score remained deadlocked at 0-0.
In the top of the fifth, the Rams' lead-off batter walked and the next hitter laid down a sacrifice bunt. A&M attempted to put out the lead runner, but she beat the throw to second. Another sacrifice bunt was picked up cleanly, but no one covered first base and Fordham loaded the bases with no outs. A bloop single to shallow right center by Jocelyn Dearborn pushed the first run across. Lindsey Kay Bright scored another with a one-out sacrifice fly to left before the Aggies gunned down the runner trying to advance to third.
"You're looking at the game and you're seeing all our strikeouts and you're seeing their pitcher in a great rhythm and you're going, `This could be a one-nothing ball game,'" said Evans. "We're going to have to put a run on the board and play defense. Instead we didn't make plays. It's simple, fundamental softball - we have to make plays on defense."
Jamie LaBovick's two-run home run in the sixth extended the Rams lead to 4-0.
Needing a rally in the bottom of the seventh, freshman Meagan May led off with a high-hit double and pinch runner Andrea Tovar entered the game at second, but the next three Aggies were put down in order.
Kliesing (6-1) was saddled with her first loss after throwing six innings and allowing six runs on four hits, walking one and striking out five. Freshman Mel Dumezich relieved Kliesing in the final inning and retired the side in order with two K's.
"I thought Mel did a really nice job," Evans said. "Her ball was spinning well and she was moving it. The key was, she was throwing strikes. That was a bright spot in the game. She can take that and run with it and have some confidence when she gets in the circle again this tournament."
Mineau (3-0) allowed three hits, no walks and fanned 15 for her second shutout in her second complete game. She now has 46 strikeouts in 20 innings pitched.
The Aggies return to the field in Cathedral City, Calif., at 10:30 p.m. tonight against Oregon.
"The game humbled us and it's a matter of us getting out and playing the game with some confidence and shaking this one off," explained Evans.
