Aggie softball team loses to Longhorns

By LARRY BOWEN

larry.bowen@theeagle.com

AUSTIN -- Texas A&M's softball team came close to knocking off fifth-ranked Texas on Wednesday night but lost because of the ones that got away, big and little.

Longhorn junior Lexy Bennett, who chose UT over A&M coming out of high school, ripped a game-tying home run to start a two-run seventh inning that lifted Texas over the mistake-prone Aggies 4-3 before a crowd of 1,156 at McCombs Field.

The winning run was the result of three A&M mistakes, as the Longhorns capitalized on a walk, an error and scored on a ball off the catcher's glove that was ruled a wild pitch but should have been called a passed ball.

It was a disappointing finish to a night in which the 20th-ranked Aggies gave UT a gift run and cost themselves another by being unable to execute a sacrifice bunt.

"That was frustrating, that we didn't do the little things," A&M coach Jo Evans said.

Texas (32-3, 5-0) stretched its winning streak to 16 games and remained the only Big 12 team without a conference loss. A&M (30-9, 3-2) missed a chance to join a group of four teams atop the standings.

Bennett, who played at Houston Second Baptist, was involved in two crucial plays. She scored to make it 2-2 in the fifth inning, reaching on a one-out triple with a high pop fly that should have been handled by freshman shortstop Brittany Walker a few steps onto the outfield grass. Walker got a late start back on the ball and then couldn't hang on when she collided with left fielder Kelsey Spittler.

That mistake came on the heels of another Aggie misfire. Natalie Villarreal led off the fifth with a double, but freshman Cassie Tysarczyk popped up her bunt attempt. That prevented Villarreal from scoring when Rhiannon Kliesing followed with a long fly ball to right field.

"That's two runs [wasted]," Evans said.

The Aggies took the lead with a run in the top of the seventh, but even that wasn't satisfying. Two consecutive walks by starter Blaire Luna and one by relief pitcher Rachel Fox loaded the bases with one out, and Melissa Dumezich lined an RBI single to left that made it 3-2.

Fox, a freshman from Fort Bend Baptist, fell behind 2-0 before battling back to strike out A&M freshman Amber Garza, who had homered for the first run of the game. Fox (14-1) then got Nicole Morgan, another freshman, to pop out and leave the bases loaded.

"You've gotta make that a big inning, especially with Fox coming in and struggling to find the strike zone," Evans said. "We let her off the hook."

The one-run lead lasted three pitches into the bottom of the seventh. Bennett bashed a 2-0 offering from Dumezich (16-6) over the fence in left, the same direction as an 11th-inning home run that lifted Baylor over the Aggies in their Big 12 opener two weeks ago.

"Bennett's a great hitter," Evans said. "She has been a thorn in our side for years. You can't get behind on a kid like that. She was sitting on that 2-0 pitch, which was something she had been looking for all night."

Bennett had a double along with the homer and gift triple. She also reached base in her other at-bat, hitting a smash that went for an error on the shortstop.

Over her career, Bennett is 11 for 15 in five games against the program that came in second behind UT during recruiting.

"I really enjoy playing against them," Bennett said. "Nothing against them: They're a great ballclub. It's just a great rivalry."

After Bennett's tying homer, cleanup hitter Amy Hooks drew a walk. Pinch runner Mandy Ogle stayed at first when Nadia Taylor popped out, but then first baseman Kliesing mishandled a slow roller off the bat of Torie Schmidt to put runners at second and third.

Dumezich's second pitch to No. 7 hitter Karina Scott glanced off Morgan's glove and went to the backstop, allowing Ogle to score with a headfirst slide just ahead of the tag by Dumezich.

"We've got to take care of the ball," Evans said. "It's really unusual for Kliesing to make an error. I think she got ahead of herself a little bit."

*

NOTES -- Texas athletic department officials and fans showed class before the game when the public address announcer congratulated A&M for winning the women's basketball national championship to applause from fans of both teams. ... Also prior to the game, injured Aggie catcher Meagan May made a presentation to the Austin-area surgeon who cared for her following an offseason auto accident.