CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. – Junior Mel Dumezich hit two grand slams against BYU as the No. 14 Texas A&M softball team avenged their first loss of the season and fell to No. 5 Washington on day two of the Cathedral City Classic.
The Aggies dropped a game to the fifth-ranked Huskies, 8-2, before defeating BYU in extra-inning comeback style, 14-8, in game two.
The Huskies used an error and a long double to plate an unearned run in the top of the third to lead 1-0. In the bottom of the inning, junior Brittany Walker took advantage of forward-playing defenders and sent a ball over the left fielder’s head for a double. Senior Natalie Villarreal grounded into a fielder’s choice but Walker stayed at second and both runners were safe.
With runners on first and second, junior Meagan May chopped a ball that bounced high as the Huskies’ pitcher struggled to handle it and the designated player reached first on a base hit. With the bases loaded, Dumezich worked through a full count and drew an RBI walk to even the score at 1-1.
Washington came out swinging in the top of the fourth and hit three singles and a ground-ruled double, while drawing two walks to regain the lead and extend it to 5-1 in the end of the inning.
The Aggies worked to get back into the game in the bottom of the inning when freshman Brittany Clopton sent a pitch up the middle for a single and was followed on by sophomore Emily Albus with a bunt single. Walker singled up the middle for her second hit in as many at-bats and gave the quick-footed Clopton time to score from second. Albus and Walker were each left stranded when a double play ended the inning and the score remained at 5-2 in Washington’s favor after the fourth.
The Huskies drew two walks in the top of the fifth and used a single and a sacrifice fly to stretch the score back to a four-run lead at 6-2. Washington flexed out to an 8-2 lead in the top of the seventh inning, on a sacrifice fly and an error by the Aggies.
A&M was quickly down with two outs in the bottom of the seventh when junior Sydney Shannon singled through the right side and was replaced at first by sophomore pinch runner Kaydee Rayburn. Dumezich added a single, into left field, and was replaced on the base paths by senior Kelsea Orsak. Rayburn and Orsak were left stranded at first and second, however, as No. 5 UW took the 8-2 victory.
Dumezich (4-3) took the loss after fanning four batters and allowing seven earned runs on 11 hits in 6 1/3 innings. UW’s Kaitlin Inglesby (7-0) earned the win, giving up two earned runs on 11 hits in seven innings, while striking out five.
The Aggies started their second game of the day, vs. BYU, almost immediately after switching fields and lost no momentum. Albus led off in the top of the first with an infield single to the third baseman, using her speed to beat the throw to first. The left fielder took second on a groundout at the plate and ran to third on a wild pitch. May reached on a walk and, in a double steal, May took second while Albus stole home for the 1-0 lead.
The Cougars had a double, single and triple, all in-a-row with two outs to take a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the inning. Dumezich led off in the second with a single through the left side and got as far as third on groundouts, but was left on base in the half-inning as BYU kept its two-run lead.
A two-out bomb by BYU first baseman Katie Manuma pushed the gap to 4-1 in the bottom of the third as the Aggies worked to stay in the game, and that’s what they did.
May led off in the top of the fourth with a hard long ball over the fence on the left field line and brought the score to 2-4. May’s bomb chased BYU starter Hannah Howell as Caroline Umphlett came in to pitch. Dumezich walked and was joined by Garza, who took a pitch to the elbow and both took a base on a passed ball before they were stranded on the third out.
Back-to-back infield singles by Albus and Walker to start the top of the fifth chased another BYU pitcher as Umphlett was replaced in the circle by Tori Almond. Almond walked Villarreal to load the bases and threw a wild pitch that gave Albus time to fly home for the 3-4 run as Walker and Villarreal advanced into scoring position.
After walking Shannon, who was replaced on the base paths by Tysarczyk, Almond was also replaced – by the starter, Howell. Howell’s first pitch back in the circle was just what Dumezich wanted as she pulled the ball down the left field line and cleared the fence for her second grand slam of the season as the Aggies took a 7-4 lead.
The Cougars go a pair of runners on base with no outs in the bottom of the inning before freshman Kayla Klein entered to relieve Sisk in the circle and shut down three consecutive batters to get A&M out of the jam.
A&M continued its rally in the top of the sixth when Albus hit a one-out single, her third base hit of the game, and continued to second on a throwing error by BYU. Walker bunted behind Albus and reached on the single while the left fielder took third, but Walker was thrown out at second for out number two. A third infield single, by Villarreal, sent Albus home for the 8-4 lead, unearned.
Junior Taran Tyler singled to right-center with one out in the top of the seventh and took third on a pair of errors in the outfield. The Aggies couldn’t score in the seventh, however, and the score remained at 8-4.
BYU loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh and, with one out, catcher Stacie Toney hit a grand slam over right field to tie the game at eight runs each as freshman Lauren Ainsley entered to pitch and sent the final two batters back to the dugout.
With the teams still tied after the seventh, the game entered an international tiebreaker. Clopton was placed at second to run for the Aggies. A one-out double down the left field line by Walker scored Clopton before Villarreal singled and was joined on base by May, who drew a walk.
Rayburn replaced May at first and with bases loaded, Shannon took a pitch to the body to force in the 10-8 run and load the bases again. Dumezich took just a few pitches before again clearing the fence in left field for her second grand slam on the day and her third on the season. The bomb set the Aggies up for a 14-8 lead entering the final half-inning.
The Cougars couldn’t make due in the bottom of the eighth and the Aggies avenged a 3-2 loss to BYU in their first game of the season with the victory.
Ainsley (1-0) earned the win after giving up no runs on no hits in 2/3 innings of work. Howell (4-3) suffered the loss, giving up 10 runs on 12 hits in 6 2/3 innings in the circle.
The Aggies will face Pacific at 11:30 a.m. tomorrow to end the tournament with five games. That game will be broadcast live on Sports Radio 1150 AM. To learn more about Texas A&M softball, log on to AggieAthletics.com.