No. 12 Mizzou Tops No. 20 A&M, 6-3

Saturday, April 9

Columbia, Mo.

1:00 PM

Texas A&M

30-10, 0

Missouri

31-5, 0

Texas A&M

Missouri

Apr 09, 2011 | Softball

Box Score

By: Texas A&M Athletics

April 9, 2011

Final Stats

COLUMBIA, Mo. - Despite two late runs in the seventh, the No. 20 Texas A&M softball team (30-10, 3-3 Big 12) fell 6-3 to No. 12 Missouri (31-5, 6-1 Big 12) in game one of a two-game series against the Tigers, Saturday at University Field.

The Aggies shut down the first three batters of the first and second innings, and only allowed one runner on first base in the bottom of the third. The runner reached on a walk and was left stranded on the bag.

In the top of the fourth, senior Rhi Kliesing drew her second walk of the game and was replaced by freshman pinch runner Kaydee Rayburn at first. Rayburn took second on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore Mel Dumezich and reached third on a ground out by classmate Amber Garza.

With Rayburn on third, freshman Nicole Morgan lined the first hit of the game up the middle and plated the base runner for the 1-0 lead.

The Tigers answered in the bottom of the inning with a long double to right-center field by designated player Madison Ruggeberg that scored the tying run from first. Replacing Ruggeberg on the base paths, Brianna Corwin took third on an error in shallow left field that put the batter, third baseman Nicole Hudson, on second.

A single to left by first baseman Catherine Lee gave Mizzou the unearned go-ahead run as Corwin crossed the plate. Hudson pushed the lead to 3-1 when she slid home unearned on a sacrifice fly, knocking the ball out of A&M catcher Morgan's glove as she tagged the runner.

Mizzou expanded the lead to 6-1 in the bottom of the sixth, putting up three RBI hits with two outs. Left fielder Lisa Simmons sent the first run of the inning in on a double to right-center before catcher Megan Christopher plated a second runner on a hard single down the left field line. Pinch hitting in the nine hole, Marla Schweisberger lasered a second-consecutive hit down the line to left, an RBI double.

On a quest to get back in the game, the Aggies returned to the board in the top of the seventh. Senior Kelsey Spittler singled hard to the shortstop and was sent to second on a single up the middle by junior Kelsea Orsak. Both runners advanced a base on a wild pitch.

With two in scoring position, redshirt junior Natalie Villarreal hit the third base hit in-a-row up the middle, plating Spittler and Orsak to narrow the deficit to a final 6-3 score in Mizzou's favor.

Dumezich (16-7) drew the loss, fanning three batters and allowing four earned runs on seven hits. MU's Chelsea Thomas (16-3) earned the win, giving up three runs on five hits while striking out eight.

After a second game vs. the Tigers, Sunday at 11 a.m., the Aggies travel to Sam Houston State Wednesday to take on the Bearkats in a midweek matchup. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. For more information on Texas A&M softball, log on to AggieAthletics.com.