Morgan's Walk-Off Home Run Pushes No. 21 Aggies Past No. 15 Baylor

Sunday, March 27

College Station

3:00 PM

Texas A&M

28-8, 0

Baylor

27-5, 0

Baylor

Texas A&M

Mar 27, 2011 | Softball

Box Score

By: Texas A&M Athletics

March 27, 2011

Final Stats

COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Freshman Nicole Morgan's walk-off two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh lifted the No. 21 Texas A&M softball team (28-8, 1-1) to a 6-5 victory over Baylor (27-5, 1-1) Sunday at the Aggie Softball Complex.

After trailing for half of the game, the Aggies hit three bombs to combine for six runs in the victory. Baylor picked up the first two runs of the game on RBI singles in the top of the first. A&M was unable to respond and didn't get a hit until the bottom of the third when sophomore Brittany Walker popped a single over the shortstop's head into shallow left field.

In the bottom of the fourth, Morgan hit a solo long ball over right-center to narrow the gap to 1-2 for the Aggies. Baylor pulled ahead in the next half-inning when shortstop Dani Leal went yard down the left field line for two runs and the 4-1 lead.

With runners on first and second in the bottom of five, sophomore Mel Dumezich hit the Aggies' second bomb of the night, tying the game at 4-4 as she scored freshmen Cassie Tysarczyk and Kaydee Rayburn along with her. Dumezich had entered to pitch in the top of the inning.

"That's a fired-up kid right there," head coach Jo Evans said. "Last night we get off the bus and Mel was mad at the world. She was so upset and frustrated with the loss. I know she wanted to start the game today. Our team's growing up a lot. Yesterday was a disappointment for us, but I try to stay positive. Our kids played great. We gave ourselves a chance to win a ballgame. It's showing that our team is getting more and more mature."

The bottom of the sixth looked promising for the Aggies, who loaded the bases with no outs, but the team was unable to send a runner home. Junior Kelsea Orsak led off with a single through the right side that evaded the gloves of the first and second basemen. Walker followed her on base with a bunt single to the left side before junior Natalie Villarreal hit a sacrifice bunt to the third baseman and reached first on a fielding error to load the bags.

The Lady Bears' Leal connected for her second home run of the day, a solo shot that gave Baylor the go-ahead run in the top of the seventh.

Trailing by one in the last half-inning, the Aggies rallied for the win. Dumezich drew a walk and was replaced at first by senior Andrea Tovar to start the inning before Morgan slammed her second bomb of the day. The walk-off hit cleared the fence down the left field line and gave A&M its first conference win of the season.

"We've been talking about how tough it is on lefties to hit against [Whitney} Canion," Evans said. "We needed our righties to step up and they did that today. That walk by Mel was huge. It's interesting because before that half-inning I told Nic, `You are not drag-bunting.' She has these visions of grandeur like she's fast enough to beat out a drag bunt. I said, `You're swinging,' and that's what she did. What a great job by Nic. I'm so happy for her. She's worked so hard at getting in there and getting the feel and that is what that kid is great at doing."

Dumezich (15-5) earned the win, throwing three complete innings. She struck out one batter and gave up one run on one hit. Baylor's Whitney Canion (14-4) drew the loss, fanning eight batters in six complete innings. She allowed three earned runs on seven hits.

The teams split games in the two-contest series with the win. Both hold a 1-1 Big 12 mark. The Aggies host Iowa State for a two-game series next Saturday and Sunday, April 2-3. Saturday's game is slated for a 2 p.m. first pitch. The conference matchup Sunday will start at noon. Log on to AggieAthletics.com for more information on Texas A&M softball.