Texas A&M
Louisiana-Monroe
No. 21 Softball Downs ULM and Wins Aggie Classic
Feb 21, 2010 | Softball
Feb. 21, 2010
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - The No. 21 Texas A&M softball team used a six-run second inning to pick up a 9-4 victory over ULM in the final game of the Aggie Classic on Sunday afternoon at the Aggie Softball Complex.
A&M (10-1) won its fifth game of the tournament and took home the Aggie Classic crown, while the Warhawks fell to 3-6.
Junior Kelsey Spittler and freshman Sydney Shannon led an Aggie offense that tallied 13 hits. Spittler went 3-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs and Shannon was 2-for-4, hitting a double and a triple for three RBIs.
"We came here expecting to win our tournament," said head coach Jo Evans. "We knew we needed to play well to do it and we did that. We got great innings from our pitchers and our hitters were really aggressive."
After a quiet first inning, A&M produced five hits in the second. A two-run double to deep center field by Shannon scored senior Alex Reynolds and freshman Melissa Dumezich who each recorded base hits. Then two-run singles up the middle from Spittler and Reynolds gave the Aggies a 6-0 lead.
In the fourth, ULM loaded the bases with two base hits and a walk before Katie Girardi's grand slam cut the margin to 6-4.
A&M took back a run in the fifth inning off the bat of Shannon. Junior Rhi Kliesing drew a lead-off walk and with two outs, the Marlow, Okla., native laced a triple off the base of the right field wall to plate pinch runner Andrea Tovar.
Sophomore pitcher Rebecca Arbino entered the game in relief of Kliesing in the fifth and shut down the Warhawks.
The Aggies continued to push runs across in the next inning. A one-out double by senior Macie Morrow and a single by Spittler set the table for Kliesing's two-out, two-run single to left that made the score 9-4.
"It's nice to see your seniors and upperclassmen calm your team down and get them comfortable," Evans commented. "I was pleased to see the way we came back. We answered like we did all weekend."
Kliesing (6-0) threw four innings and allowed four runs on five hits, walked two and struck out three to earn the win in the circle. Arbino picked up her first save of the season with three innings of relief work. She gave up one hit and no walks while adding two K's.
"Becca looked really good," said Evans. "I was pleased with the way she came in and with her composure. There's a certain look about her when she's really focused and in it, and I thought she was right on top of it. It was nice to see her come out and get a chance to relieve and see how she handled it. She did a really nice job."
Several Aggies hit throughout the lineup in the game. Morrow, Dumezich and Reynolds had two hits each and Reynolds also posted a pair of RBIs. Kliesing was 1-for-2 with two walks and two RBIs and sophomore Kelsea Orsak added a single.
The Aggies continue their seven-game homestand on Tuesday with a doubleheader against Stephen F. Austin. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.
