Tigers forced to play Aggie ball, Texas A&M issues first series loss

By Barbara Maningat

View this article on KBIA Sports Extra

No. 19 Texas A&M served up some solid competition, defeating No. 10 Missouri softball team in a tight three-game series at College Station. Missouri ended their 17-game winning streak in Game 1 Friday with a 2-1 loss, but hope struck when the Tigers took the 6-5 win in Game 2. Game 3 went seven innings without a run and ended the game with an Aggie run in the bottom of the eighth.

The Tigers simply could not deliver from the plate as Aggie pitcher Mel Dumezich took control of the game.

Dumezich proved to be a threat from the mound and at bat in the first game; she issued seven strikeouts and contributed two runs with the game-winning home run in the first inning. Tiger Kelsea Roth contributed the only run for the Tigers with a double to center, scoring Corrin Genovese. The Tigers managed four hits to counter Dumezich, but it was not enough as they fell 2-1.

Dumezich allowed just enough leeway in Game 2 for the Tigers to capitalize and take the win. After Roth doubled to score Jenna Marston in the first, the game came alive in the second inning as the Tigers added five runs. Genovese doubled to left field, scoring Princess Krebs and pushing Ashtin Stephens to scoring position. Marston then singled and sent Stephens and Genovese home for a 4-0 lead. Later, Roth hit a double to left field and sent Marston home and Ashley Fleming to third base after she drew a walk. Fleming then scored an unearned run to close the inning. Two outs into the second inning, the Aggies sent in Lauren Ainsley to relieve Dumezich. Missouri responded with five runs against Ainsley, ending the second game with a tight 6-0 Tiger victory.

It was the battle of the pitchers in the series closer. Missouri’s Chelsea Thomas threw seven and one-third innings allowing only two hits, one error and the game-winning run, while Dumezich allowed just one hit to Genovese in the third inning. Combined, the pitchers kept the batters quiet for seven full innings until Aggie Jenna Stark hit a double to score Cassie Tysarczyk for the win in the extra inning.

Genovese and Roth led the Tigers in hitting, contributing a combined eight hits on the series – but the team recorded only 11 hits on the series, six of them from game two.

Thomas is now 11-3 on the season and the Tigers fall to 23-5 overall, 4-2 in conference play. Missouri will return to Columbia to host a doubleheader against the Evansville Aces on Wednesday, starting at 3 p.m.