Texas A&M
25-7
Florida A&M
13-14
Aggies Shut Out Florida A&M in Fourth-Straight Run-Rule
Mar 19, 2011 | Softball
March 19, 2011
CLEARWATER, Fla. - The No. 22 Texas A&M softball (25-7) team shut out Florida A&M (13-15) in an 8-0 five-inning run-rule victory Saturday at the Eddie C. Moore Complex.
The Aggies jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. With two outs, senior Rhi Kliesing took a pitch to the body before stealing second base. Sophomore Meagan May stepped up and singled through the left side to send Kliesing home.
The quick feet of Kelsea Orsak gave Texas A&M another run in the bottom of the second. The junior slapped a pitch into the dirt in front of the batter's box. The Florida A&M catcher scrambled to get to the ball and threw it to first, but Orsak was already there.
"Those kids are seeing the ball well in our short game," head coach Jo Evans said. "You're not an RBI hitter; you've just got to get yourself on base. Orsak laid down a really nice bunt."
Orsak stole second before taking third on an infield single to the shortstop by sophomore Brittany Walker. The runners went for a double steal in the next at-bat and Orsak crossed the plate for the 2-0 lead.
Junior Natalie Villarreal led off in the fifth with an infield single to the second baseman. Freshman Cassie Tysarczyk sent the next pitch down the first base line where it took a hop on the bag, giving the batter time to reach for a single.
Kliesing drew a walk and loaded the bags and was replaced by sophomore Lauren Schwirtlich before a wild pitch advanced all three runners, giving the Aggies a 3-0 lead as Villarreal took home. Florida A&M sent May to first with an intentional walk, again loading the bases.
Freshman Amber Garza hit her third single of the day up the middle, earning two RBI as Tysarczyk and Schwirtlich scored. Sophomore Mel Dumezich joined Garza on the bags on a fielding error by the third baseman before senior Kelsey Spittler also reached on an error, by the first baseman, to load the bags.
Orsak took a pitch to her jersey, picking up an RBI as Garza was pushed home for the 7-0 run. Walker took first on a fielder's choice when the third baseman tried to throw Dumezich out at home, but she overthrew the plate and Dumezich scored on the error. The game ended in an 8-0 shutout in five innings, the fourth consecutive run-rule by the Aggies this weekend.
Redshirt junior Lindsey Sisk (12-3) picked up her fifth shutout of the season with the win, fanning five batters and allowing no runs on three hits. FAMU's Whitney Robinson suffered the loss, giving up eight runs on eight hits in four complete innings.
The Aggies wrap up tournament play tomorrow with the last game of the weekend, against Long Island at 8:30 a.m. CST in Clearwater. For more information on Texas A&M softball, log onto AggieAthletics.com.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Sisk, Lindsey (12-3)
L: ROBINSON,Whitney (0-0)
Batting:
SH: WEST.Taylor 1
Base Running:
SB: GARCIA,Erika 1
Batting:
RBI: May, Meagan 1 ; Garza, Amber 2 ; Orsak, Kelsea 1
SH: Orsak, Kelsea 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Villarreal, Natalie 1 ; Tysarczyk, Cassie 1 ; Kliesing, Rhiannon 1 ; Schwirtlich, Lauren 1 ; Rayburn, Kaydee 1 ; Garza, Amber 1 ; Dumezich, Mel 1 ; Orsak, Kelsea 1
SB: Tysarczyk, Cassie 1 ; Kliesing, Rhiannon 1 ; Orsak, Kelsea 2
HBP: Kliesing, Rhiannon 1 ; Orsak, Kelsea 1
PO: May, Meagan 1
