COLLEGE STATION, Texas - The Texas A&M softball team split games, beating Sam Houston State with a 7-4 comeback before falling to North Texas, 11-16, Saturday at the Texas A&M Fall Invitational.
Two home runs by junior Mel Dumezich and a bomb from senior Lindsey Sisk brought the Aggies back from an early deficit in game one vs. the Bearkats.
In the top of the second, Sam Houston State plated two runs on a homer to left field. Dumezich topped the fence in left in the bottom of the inning, narrowing the gap to a 2-1 SHSU lead.
The Bearkats scored two more runs in the top of the fifth and pulled ahead to 4-1, but a big half-inning for the Aggies gave A&M its first lead of the game. Senior Natalie Villarreal led off in the bottom of the fifth with a walk and was pushed home one out later on Dumezich's second home run of the game. Dumezich earned two RBI on the play.
Sophomore Nicole Morgan was replaced at first by sophomore pinch runner Kaydee Rayburn after the designated player reached on a single through the left side. With two outs on the board, Sisk went yard over the fence in left field, giving the Aggies a 5-4 lead through the end of the inning.
SHSU never came close to home plate again as the Aggies finished the game with a 7-4 victory over the Bearkats. A&M scored the final two runs of the game in the seventh, hitting four base hits as a team in the half-inning.
Freshman Allison Garrett singled through the left side and was followed onto the bags by Dumezich, who placed a single in the center field gap. With two outs, freshman Amber Garza walked to load the bases before freshman Emily Albus entered to pinch run at first.
An infield single by junior Sydney Shannon pushed the 6-4 run home before Dumezich scored the final run on a single to left field by Sisk. Sisk was 3-for-3 on the game with two singles, a home run and three RBI. Dumezich also had three RBI on two home runs and a single, scoring three runs of her own. Freshman hurler Lauren Ainsley threw seven complete innings, striking out four on the game.
The Aggies also bounced back from an early deficit in game two but were unable to take the lead as they fell to North Texas, 11-16.
North Texas scored three runs on a bomb to lead off in the first inning. The Aggies answered in the bottom of the second with a forced run on four walks and a groundout, but it wasn't enough as the Mean Green had a nine-run scoring rally in the top of the third and took a 12-2 lead.
A&M slowly began to retaliate in the bottom of the inning. Sophomore Taran Tyler beat the throw to first for an infield single and was sent around the bases on a triple slugged to right-center by sophomore Cassie Tysarczyk. Albus drew a walk and, with runners on the corners, Walker plated Dumezich on an RBI single.
In the top of the fourth, UNT plated two more runs on a pair of doubles, bringing the score to 14-4. The Aggies answered in the bottom of the inning with two runs of their own, on a single by Dumezich and a walk that sent Villarreal and Rayburn home.
The Mean Green pushed their final two runs across in the top of the fifth as a no-out home run plated a pair of UNT players. In the bottom of the inning, Albus took a leadoff walk and was pushed to second on a walk by freshman Brittany Clopton. Albus ran to third on a passed ball before Dumezich took a pitch to the body. Morgan drew a bases-loaded walk to push Albus home and bring the score to 16-7.
A pair of walks and an error by the UNT right fielder in the bottom of the sixth brought the Aggies within six runs of the Mean Green. Albus, Walker and Clopton scored on the plays. Each runner had reached on a walk.
Tysarczyk scored the final run of the game in the bottom of the seventh. The right fielder led off in the inning with an infield single and ended up on second after a throwing error by the shortstop. A pop-out to left field gave Tysarczyk enough room to score and the game ended with the Aggies trailing 11-16.
Tysarczyk led the Aggies, hitting 2-for-3 on a triple, a single and two walks. Freshmen Kayla Klein and Sara Mireles split time in the circle for A&M.
The Mean Green finished the day with a 10-3 victory over Sam Houston State to lead all teams in the Texas A&M Fall Invitational.
The Aggies travel to the Cougar Softball Field at the University of Houston tomorrow to play USA Softball in a doubleheader. Game one is set for a noon start, and game two is slated for a 3 p.m. first pitch. Aggie junior Meagan May will join the ranks of the Red, White and Blue for the doubleheader.
Both games will be broadcast on 95.1-3 The Zone HD, making the broadcast available worldwide on any smartphone or HD radio. Visit RadioAggieland.com to download the app. For more information, log on to AggieAthletics.com.