COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The No. 21 Texas A&M softball team (15-7) shut out North Dakota State 12-9) with a 6-0 victory, Saturday on day three of the Aggie Invitational at the Aggie Softball complex.
Sophomore Cassie Tysarczyk hit the Aggies’ first triple of the season during the game, scoring two runs on the way before sliding home on an error just seconds later.
The Aggies had a successful second inning, collecting three hits and jumping out to a 3-0 lead. Dumezich drew a leadoff walk and took second on a sacrifice bunt before sophomore Amber Garza joined her on the bags, on a walk. With two outs sophomore Emily Albus sent a ball hopping high over the first baseman’s head as Albus reached first and Dumezich scored the 1-0 run.
“I thought Emily hit the ball great right there,” head coach Jo Evans said “She had a great adjustment from her first at bat and gave us a chance to score.”
A double to left-center by junior Brittany Walker, her first of two on the day, scored Garza and an infield single by Villarreal scored Albus as A&M took a 3-0 lead.
Tysarczyk’s triple shoved A&M out to a bigger lead in the bottom of the fifth. With one out, junior Meagan May singled through the left side and was replaced at first by sophomore pinch runner Kaydee Rayburn. Shannon drew a walk behind May and, with two outs and two on, Tysarczyk slammed a ball into the wall in right field. The sophomore right fielder advanced all the way to third for a triple as Rayburn and Shannon scored.
“Cassie smoked that thing and the second baseman didn’t want anything to do with that and I wouldn’t either,” Evans said. “She hit that on the screws. She’s been playing so well for us in the last few games. That’s the kind of player she is and she’s really playing well.”
In an attempt to stop Tysarczyk from scoring, the NDSU second baseman overthrew home and allowed Tysarczyk to score anyway, on the error.
Dumezich (11-4) allowed just one hit on the day in her third shutout of the season, striking out eight batters and walking four. North Dakota State’s Krista Menke (4-3) gave up five earned runs on seven hits while striking out two and walking six for the loss.
“I thought it was key that Mel got out of that first inning,” Evans said. “She did a good job after that. I thought she was really, really good.”
The Aggies head to Honolulu tomorrow for the University of Hawaii’s Chevron Spring Fling Tournament, starting with a Wednesday, March 14 game vs. No. 1 California. To learn more about Texas A&M softball, log on to AggieAthletics.com.
