Softball Cruises to Doubleheader Sweep
Sep 29, 2010 | Softball
Sept. 29, 2010
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - The Texas A&M softball team racked up 25 hits and 20 runs in a doubleheader sweep of Navarro College to open its fall season on Wednesday evening at the Aggie Softball Complex.
The Aggies (2-0) downed the Bulldogs, 7-2 and 13-0, and did not give up an earned run in the pair of victories. Sophomore pitcher Mel Dumezich threw a no-hitter and combined with senior twirler Rhi Kliesing for 19 K's in the circle.
"Overall we played well tonight," said head coach Jo Evans. "Defensively we made plays and in the circle Rhi and Mel threw well. Their ball was moving well and it was nice to see them both look so comfortable in their first outing. It all starts in the circle and those two did a good job.
"Offensively, we got off to a little bit of a slow start, but we showed really good patience at the plate and came through and hit the ball hard. We have a lot of weapons in our offense and a good balance of power, speed and finesse. The freshmen may have had a few jitters, but they handled that well and did a nice job."
Neither team got on the scoreboard in the first game until the bottom of the fifth inning when the Aggies exploded for five runs, all of which came with two outs.
Senior Andrea Tovar was the first Aggie to cross the plate on an infield single from sophomore transfer Brittany Walker. Junior Kelsea Orsak followed and scored on a wild pitch before Walker reached home as freshman Cassie Tysarczyk put the ball in play down the first-base line. Freshman Nicole Morgan added two more with a hard-hit, line-drive single to left.
Freshman Taran Tyler led off the bottom of the sixth with a double to left center and was plated by Tovar who tallied her second hit of the game. Orsak's sacrifice fly to center then scored Tovar from third and gave A&M a 7-0 lead.
Navarro managed two runs via an error and a passed ball in the top of the seventh, but Kliesing came back to force a pair of strikeouts and a groundout to end the game.
Kliesing earned the complete-game win in the circle. She allowed four hits, two runs, none of which were earned, two walks and fanned eight.
In game two, the Aggies came out swinging and scored two quickly in the bottom of the first. Freshman Emily Albus singled through the left side, stole second and third and touched home plate on a single up the middle from senior Kelsey Spittler. Sophomore Meagan May also scored on an error in the inning.
A&M loaded the bases with one out in the second and Albus hit a line-drive, stand-up triple to left center to clear the bases. Spittler then scored Albus with a base hit in the infield to make the score 6-0.
After a scoreless third, Albus legged out an infield single in the fourth before May smashed a two-run home run to left. Spittler kept the Aggies going with a single to center and redshirt junior Lindsey Sisk plated her with a line-drive base hit to center. A&M led 9-0 after four innings.
Doubles by freshman Kaydee Rayburn, May and Spittler added three more runs in the fifth and gave the Aggies a 12-0 lead.
A solo homer to left by Dumezich put A&M up 13-0 for the final.
Dumezich was the winning pitcher in the second game with the no-hitter. She struck out 11 and walked four.
Albus and Spittler led all hitters going 4-for-4 with three RBIs. Albus added four runs and two stolen bases. May and Morgan each went 2-for-3 at the plate. May's hits were a double and a home run with four RBIs, while Morgan added a pair of RBIs. Rayburn and Tovar were also perfect at the plate with a 2-for-2 performance and two runs scored.
The Aggies continue their fall competition with four games at the Spring Klein College Classic this weekend.
