Texas A&M
Texas
Aggies Fall 5-3 to No. 22 Texas
Apr 01, 2009 | Softball
April 1, 2009
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - A four-run fifth inning proved the difference as the No. 19 Texas A&M softball team fell to No. 22 Texas, 5-3, on Wednesday night in the State Farm Lone Star Showdown at the Aggie Softball Complex.
After falling behind early, the Aggies (23-12, 1-2 Big 12) answered and got the go-ahead RBI single from junior Bailey Schroeder in the fourth inning, but A&M could not come back from a pair of two-run home runs by the Longhorns (27-11, 5-1 Big 12) in the fifth.
The Aggies got off to a slow start, producing just one hit in the first two innings. Despite not having played for 10 days, A&M came around to tally eight hits in the game, including at least one in each of the last five innings.
The Longhorns jumped out to a quick one-run lead in the top of the first inning as the first pitch of the game hit lead-off batter Desiree Williams. Williams stole second before Alexis Bennett hit an RBI double to left center to put Texas on the scoreboard 1-0.
In the bottom of the third, the Aggies knotted the game with two outs. Freshman Rhi Kliesing then ripped a single to right center to easily plate Orsak from second.
Schroeder gave A&M its first lead of the game in the bottom of the fourth. Senior Erin Glasco led off the with a single inside the left field foul line before pinch runner Andrea Tovar stole second. With two outs, Schroeder's line-drive RBI single scored Tovar and put the Aggies up 2-1.
Texas took a 5-2 lead in the fifth with a couple of two-run homers by Williams and Loryn Johnson.
Kliesing brought the Aggies within two after a solo home run to right center in the bottom of the inning.
A&M retired the Longhorns in order in the top of the seventh for just the second time in the game. Sophomore Kara Rau then led off the bottom of the inning with a double down the left field line, but the Aggies were unable to push any runs across.
Brittany Barnhill picked up her 15th win of the season with a career-best, 11-strikeout performance in the circle. Kliesing earned the loss in a complete-game effort. From Pearland, Texas, Kliesing gave up five runs (four earned) on eight hits, walked two and fanned four.
Glasco was 3-for-3 at the plate, while Kliesing went 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
"We haven't played in 10 days and we did a nice job of staying in the game and fighting hard," said head coach Jo Evans. "We got eight hits and did some good things tonight. We have to really focus on that, make a couple adjustments and go up to Missouri and be aggressive at the plate. We can't sulk about this, we just have to go out and get better and better."
The Aggies continue Big 12 play at Missouri this weekend. Saturday's game begins at 2 p.m. while first pitch on Sunday is set for noon.
