COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The No. 10 Texas A&M softball team (33-7) scored 21 runs as it swept Lamar (18-25) in a Tuesday doubleheader at the Aggie Softball Complex. A 9-0, five-inning run-rule in game one was followed by a 12-4 run-rule by the Aggies in game two.
A&M had 23 hits on the night, including six doubles, a triple and five home runs.
A Nicole Morgan RBI single in the bottom of the first put the Aggies on the board early in game one as junior Cassie Tysarczyk, who reached on a walk and stole second, scored the 1-0 run.
A six-run second inning pushed the A&M lead out to 7-0. A pair of one-out doubles by junior Amber Garza and senior Meagan May set the scene for a sacrifice fly out by junior Taran Tyler. Junior Emily Albus followed with a bunt single before Tysarczyk went yard with a very long three-run home run over right field.
The pressure didn’t stop there. Junior Nicole Morgan drew a two-out walk, and was sent into scoring position on two base hits by senior Mel Dumezich and junior Jenna Stark. With bases loaded, freshman Cali Lanphear hit a first-pitch double down the right-field line to plate the final two runs of the inning.
Lefty slapper Emily Albus added a second home run on the day when she cleared the wall in left for the first bomb of her career. The solo homer pushed the Aggies’ tally to 8-0. Albus was 2-for-3 with two runs and an RBI on the game.
A one-out home run by Lanphear sealed the 9-0 deal in the bottom of the fourth. The outfielder was 2-for-3 on the game with three RBI.
Aggie starter Lauren Ainsley (10-2) took the win after fanning five, walking two and giving up three hits in three scoreless innings. Sophomore Sara Mireles aided in the combined shoutout, giving up just one hit in two innings in the circle. Lamar’s Tina Schulz (4-9) suffered the loss after allowing seven earned runs on eight hits and three walks.
A&M got another early lead in game two when Dumezich plated Tysarczyk on a single to left field for the 1-0 run. Tysarczyk reached on a base hit to right field and stole second.
Stark led off in the bottom of the second, taking a pitch to the body to reach first before Lanphear cleared the wall for a second time on the day as the Aggies stretched to a 3-0 lead. Garza followed with a single lined to right field and scored on a Meagan May double. May’s hit bounced on top of the wall in left and reentered the stadium.
Albus slapped a ball past the Lamar shortstop and sped to third for a standup triple that plated May and Tyler, who had reached on a walk and stole second.
With a 6-0 lead headed into the bottom of the third, A&M scored two runs in the half-inning. Freshman Breanna Dozier drew a walk and stole second before an RBI double by sophomore Brittany Clopton sent her home for the seventh run of the game. Clopton sped home on a single to centerfield by Garza for the 8-0 lead.
The Lady Cardinals scored their first runs of the day when a home run over left in the top of the fourth scored two. The lead runner reached on a double to right field, Lamar’s first hit of the game. A solo home run that bounced off the wall in centerfield in the top of the fifth narrowed the Aggie lead again, before a second one-RBI shot over left brought the score to 8-4.
Dozier answered with a laser hit over the wall in right field in the bottom of the inning for the 9-4 lead. The solo long ball was the first of her career. Senior Sydney Shannon kept the momentum going, finding the gap in centerfield with a one-out single. With two outs on the board, junior Allison Garrett ripped an RBI double into left field, sending Shannon home for the 10-4 lead. Garrett followed her across the plate on an RBI single to center by May.
May advanced to second on the throw from centerfield and was replaced on the base paths by freshman Alex Masek, who stole second. Tyler drew a two-out walk to put runners on the corners, and Albus took advantage of the situation when her infield single sent Masek home for the walk-off run-rule win.
Albus hit for the cycle on the day, with a double and a home run in game one, and a triple and base hit in game two.
Freshman Kristen Davenport (1-0) earned her first career win, tossing three innings and giving up four earned runs on four hits while striking out one. Lamar’s Melissa Smith suffered the loss after allowing six earned runs on five hits and a walk in one inning of work.
The Aggies host LSU in a three game Southeastern Conference series this weekend, with two games being aired on national TV. Game one is at 7 p.m. Friday, followed by game two at 4 p.m. Saturday on ESPN. The series finale is set for 12:30 p.m. Sunday on FSN. To learn more about Texas A&M softball, log on to AggieAthletics.com and follow @AggieSoftball on Twitter.
Story courtesy of Texas A&M Athletics