18th-Ranked Aggies Rally Past Huskers

Lincoln - Texas A&M scored six unanswered runs on Saturday, including five in the sixth inning, as the 18th-ranked Aggies rallied for a 6-3 victory over the Nebraska softball team in game one of a doubleheader at Bowlin Stadium.

The Huskers led 3-0 after two innings of play before three straight walks to begin the third inning led to Texas A&M's first run. The Aggies were quiet again until the sixth, when they plated five runs. The first two runs came home on bases-loaded walks to tie the game. An earlier error then came back to haunt the Huskers, as the error prolonged the inning and allowed Texas A&M to score its final three runs with two outs.

On the day, only two of the six runs Nebraska allowed were earned. Junior right-hander Robin Mackin (8-9) took the loss. In 5.1 innings, Mackin allowed six runs (two earned) on only four hits. She struggled with her control, walking a season-high seven batters to go along with nine strikeouts. Sophomore right-hander Ashley Hagemann pitched the final 1.2 innings and did not allow a run on two hits, while striking out three and walking none.

The rally saved the first career loss for Aggie starter Melissa Dumezich. Although she did not figure into the decision, Dumezich, who allowed three runs on six hits in 2.0 innings, maintained her perfect 8-0 record. Rebecca Arbino (16-5) earned the win in relief, as she silenced the Husker bats by allowing only three hits and three baserunners over the final 5.0 innings.

Offensively for Nebraska, junior Heidi Foland and sophomore Nikki Haget each produced two hits, as the Huskers out-hit the Aggies, 9-6. Foland was 2-for-4 and scored a pair of runs, while Haget was 3-for-4 with an RBI.

Nebraska jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Foland and Haget led off with consecutive singles to put runners on first and second. Sophomore Ashley Guile then drove in the game's first run, when she grounded a 1-2 pitch back up the middle for an RBI single. Leading 1-0, the Huskers still had runners at first and second with no outs before a double play helped A&M escape any further damage.

In the second, freshman Gabby Banda led off with a double and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt from sophomore Madison Drake. Banda then scored on a failed squeeze attempt. A 1-1 pitch to senior Whitney Barrett missed well high and outside and Barrett was unable to get the bunt down. Banda then retreated back to third and catcher Meagan May's throw was wild, allowing Banda to score and give Nebraska a 2-0 lead.

Foland then singled with two outs, stole second and scored when Haget lined a 3-2 pitch into left center for a two-out, RBI single.

Mackin then walked the first three batters of the third inning to load the bases for May, the standout freshman who leads the Big 12 in home runs and RBIs. Mackin fell behind May 3-0, before coming back to strike her out looking. The wind then played havoc with a fly ball off the bat Rhi Kliesing, as her high pop up started foul down the left field line but the wind carried it into fair territory. Barrett came over to make the play from short and collided with Haget in left, as the ball deflected off Barrett's glove and fell to the ground.

The single cut the lead to 3-1 and the bases were still loaded before Mackin came back to strike out the next two hitters and escape further damage.

Nebraska nearly got the run back in the bottom of the frame, when freshman Brooke Thomason doubled off the very top of the fence in center with one out, but she was stranded at second.

After both teams were retired in order in the fifth, a leadoff walk, an error and a bunt single loaded the bases for the Aggies with no outs in the top of the sixth. Mackin came back with a strikeout before a wild pitch allowed a run to score and cut the Husker lead to 3-2. A walk then re-loaded the bases before another walk brought home the tying run.

A sacrifice fly gave A&M a 4-3 lead and then a pair of two-out, bloop singles capped the five-run inning and gave the Aggies a 6-3 advantage.

Arbino then retired the Huskers in order in the sixth, before Nebraska brought the tying runners to the plate in the seventh, thanks to a one-out single from Barrett and a two-out single from Haget. Guile then lined out to center to end the game.

Nebraska (20-17, 0-3 Big 12) will look to split the doubleheader and earn its first conference victory of the season in game two.

Box Score 2010 Nebraska Softball #18 Texas A&M at Nebraska (Game 1) Apr 03, 2010 at Lincoln, Neb. (Bowlin Stadium)

Texas A&M 6 (30-8,3-1 Big 12)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Schwirtlich, Lauren 2b/dp 2 1 0 0 1 2 2 1 1 Rau, Kara ph............ 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 Spittler, Kelsey lf...... 2 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 May, Meagan c............ 4 0 1 1 0 1 5 0 0 Kliesing, Rhiannon 1b.... 4 0 2 2 0 0 7 0 1 Reynolds, Alex 3b........ 3 0 0 0 1 3 0 2 2 Tovar, Andrea pr........ 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Dumezich, Melissa p/2b... 4 1 0 0 0 2 0 1 3 Morrow, Macie ss......... 3 1 2 0 1 1 1 0 0 Schroeder, Bailey rf..... 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 Orsak, Kelsea cf......... 1 2 0 0 1 1 5 0 0 Shannon, Sydney ph...... 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 Arbino, Rebecca dp/p..... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 Totals................... 26 6 6 5 7 12 21 7 8

Nebraska 3 (20-17,0-3 Big 12)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Foland, Heidi 1b......... 4 2 2 0 0 0 2 1 0 Haget, Nikki lf.......... 4 0 3 1 0 1 0 0 0 Guile, Ashley c.......... 4 0 1 1 0 2 12 0 3 Brechtel, Julie 2b....... 3 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 Thomason, Brooke rf...... 2 0 1 0 1 0 3 0 0 Mackin, Robin p.......... 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 Hagemann, Ashley p...... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Banda, Gabby 3b.......... 3 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 Drake, Madison dp........ 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Gay, Jamie ph........... 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Barrett, Whitney ss...... 3 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 Tyson, Tori cf........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Totals................... 28 3 9 2 1 5 21 2 6

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Texas A&M........... 001 005 0 - 6 6 1 Nebraska............ 120 000 0 - 3 9 1 -----------------------------------------

E - May(3); Banda(11). DP - Aggies 1. LOB - Aggies 8; Huskers 6. 2B - Thomason(9); Banda(5). SH - Schroeder(2); Drake(2). SF - Spittler(1). SB - Foland(9).

Texas A&M IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Dumezich, Melissa... 2.0 6 3 3 1 2 10 12 57 Arbino, Rebecca..... 5.0 3 0 0 0 3 18 18 56

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Mackin, Robin....... 5.1 4 6 2 7 9 20 28 142 Hagemann, Ashley.... 1.2 2 0 0 0 3 6 7 24

Win - Arbino (16-5). Loss - Mackin (8-9). Save - None. WP - Mackin(4). Pitches/strikes: Dumezich 57/36; Arbino 56/40; Mackin 142/82; Hagemann 24/16. Umpires - HP: Scott Mair 1B: Renee Williams 3B: Matt Titkemeier Start: 2:04 pm Time: 2:23 Attendance: Game: NU37