Texas A&M
12-5
Northwestern
6-4
No. 21 Aggies Take Northwestern 9-1 in Five
Feb 26, 2011 | Softball
Feb. 26, 2011
CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. - Senior Kelsey Spittler's three-run home run gave the No. 21 Texas A&M softball team the lift it needed to run rule Northwestern 9-1 Saturday in the Aggies' final game of the Cathedral City Classic.
A&M (12-6) finished the weekend at 3-2 on the tournament, run ruling three opponents.
After a one-hour rain delay, the Wildcats (6-4) jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. First baseman Adrienne Monka hit an RBI single through the left side, sending shortstop Emily Allard home from second.
The Aggies answered immediately in the bottom of the inning, drawing three walks and a no-out fielder's choice to load the bases and force a run for the 1-1 tie.
Sophomore Meagan May gave A&M a step up on Northwestern with a one-run home run in the bottom of the third. The long ball easily cleared the fence at left-center, raising the Aggies to a 2-1 lead. May hit three home runs at the Cathedral City Classic.
A seven-run fourth inning highlighted by a three-RBI home run by Spittler gave the Aggies a 9-1 advantage to end the game.
Wildcat pitcher Jessica Smith walked junior Kelsea Orsak to lead off the inning. An illegal pitch sent Orsak to second. Freshman Emily Albus bunted hard to the third baseman and beat the throw to first for a single, setting Orsak in scoring position at third.
Smith threw a second illegal pitch, to junior Natalie Villarreal, advancing Albus to second and Orsak home. Villarreal singled up the middle and picked up an RBI when Albus crossed the plate.
Senior Rhi Kliesing found the same hole and reached first behind Villarreal. The Aggies grabbed two more runs, on a passed ball and an illegal pitch before Spittler stepped up with runners on the corners and cleared the fence.
Leading by eight runs, A&M held two runners at bay in the top of the next inning to drop the Wildcats in five.
Sophomore Mel Dumezich (7-3) picked up her seventh win of the season in the run-rule, fanning three batters in five complete innings. Smith (1-4) drew the loss, allowing nine earned runs on six hits.
A&M travels to Starkville, Miss. for the Bulldog Classic, March 3-6, where it will challenge Mississippi Valley State, Memphis and host Mississippi State. Log on to AggieAthletics.com for more information on Aggie softball.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Dumezich, Mel (7-3)
L: Smith, Jessica (1-4)
Batting:
2B: Allard, Emily 1
RBI: Monka, Adrienne 1
SH: Thompson, Robin 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Allard, Emily 1
SB: Allard, Emily 1
Batting:
HR: May, Meagan 1 ; Spittler, Kelsey 1
RBI: Villarreal, Natalie 1 ; May, Meagan 1 ; Spittler, Kelsey 4
SH: Tysarczyk, Cassie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Villarreal, Natalie 2 ; Kliesing, Rhiannon 1 ; May, Meagan 1 ; Rayburn, Kaydee 1 ; Garza, Amber 1 ; Spittler, Kelsey 1 ; Orsak, Kelsea 1 ; Albus, Emily 1
