The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Texas A&M
Softball rallies for wild 7-6 walk-off win over Texas A&M
04.28.2012 | Softball
April 28, 2012
AUSTIN, Texas - Torie Schmidt hit a two-run, walk-off double in the seventh Saturday as the No. 7/8 Texas Longhorns rallied from a 6-1 deficit for a 7-6 win over the No. 18/16 Texas A&M Aggies. Schmidt finished with a 3-for-4 day and three RBI as the Longhorns scored four runs in the fifth and two in the seventh to tie the Big 12 Conference series.
Rachel Fox remained perfect on the season with an 11-0 record after throwing 4 2/3 innings in relief. She gave up one run on six hits with three walks and four strikeouts after Texas starter Blaire Luna gave up five runs in 2 1/3 innings. Taylor Hoagland was 1-for-3 with a home run and two RBI.
Nicole Morgan hit two home runs for Texas A&M, adding four RBI for the Aggies while Mel Dumezich, Brittany Walker and Emily Albus added two hits each. Dumezich (24-11) took the loss in the circle after giving up seven run on nine hits and five walks.
In the top of the second, Amber Garza walked to lead off the inning for the Aggies. She would score on Walker's RBI double to the gap in left center for the 1-0 Aggies' lead. Schmidt and Taylor Thom singled to load the bases in the Texas half of the second. Mandy Ogle tied the game with a fielder's choice as Nadia Taylor scored from third.
Meagan May immediately put the Aggies back on top in the third, hitting Luna's first pitch over the fence in left for her ninth home run of the season. Cassie Tysarczyk walked and Dumezich singled before Morgan blasted a three-run homer to left for the 5-1 score. Morgan led off the Aggie fifth with a solo shot, her third home run of the series as Texas A&M held the 6-1 lead.
Thom walked in the bottom of the fifth with Ogle doubling to center. UT designated player Gabby Smith hit a fly ball to center as the sacrifice fly plated Thom to make it 6-2. Hoagland then blasted her 12th home run of the season as the two-run dinger made it a two-run lead for the Aggies. Brejae Washington singled on an 0-2 count, followed by singles from Lexy Bennett and Taylor to load the bases. Schmidt singled to left, cutting the lead to one run at 6-5.
In the top of the seventh, after Kelsea Orsak was hit by a Fox pitch, Natalie Villarreal and Albus both singled to load the bases as the Aggies threatened to increase their lead. May hit a rocket to third base as Taylor snared the line drive, dove to her right to tag the bag at third and double up Orsak to finish the inning.
The Longhorns used the momentum on the Taylor double play as Bennett drew a walk to lead off the seventh. Taylor sacrificed Bennett to second as Karina Scott battled to force a walk, representing the winning run. Dumezich threw a wild pitch to advance the runners as Schmidt worked the count full. On Dumezich's ninth pitch, Schmidt laced the walk-off double for the dramatic victory.
The series concludes tomorrow with a 5 p.m. game that will be broadcast on Longhorn Network. Gametracker live stats, along with a live Twitter feed (@TexasSoftball), for the game will be available on TexasSports.com.
TAMU 014-010-0---6-10-1 TEXAS 010-040-2---7-9-0WP - Fox (11-0) LP - Dumezich (24-11) Records: Texas (38-8, 12-6), Texas A&M (33-15, 13-7)
Dumezich and May. Luna, Fox (3) and Ogle.
Post-Game Quotes
Head Coach Connie Clark
On getting their spark back: We talked about it immediately in the locker room following the game on Thursday night, that the quality of their next performance starts as soon as they get rid of the last one and we learn from it. I thought like we had a tremendous practice yesterday, with the focus of it's the game. The game is the game, get ready to go, and be ready to fight, and play with an edge on our turf because that makes a difference. I am very proud. Even if we did not get the outcome, although that was nice, I felt like we kept battling all day long, and chipped away and played solid down the stretch.
On being aggressive at the plate in the fifth inning: We just talked yesterday about how we wanted to stop thinking. We were trying too hard over there Thursday night. They knew what they were going to get in [Mel] Dumezich, and I think they were thinking too much about what they were going to get at what time. We freed it up a little more in their thoughts coming into today with what we did in practice yesterday and what we did in warm up today. I thought they stayed the course. Some people really stood out. Even though Courtney Craig has not been cleared to play today, she was significant. She was on everybody each inning today to never say die. We had some great leadership today.
On coming back from behind: I think it is another day at the office. We fought. I have got to see that from our club as we are getting into the thick of things here. That is what it is about; having that fight and you cannot get too down when something like Thursday night happens and you cannot get too high. Enjoy the moment, but come back again and a new day is upon us tomorrow. I think if we can stay in the moment and compete hard, which is what we have been talking about since day one, we will be great.
Left fielder Torie Schmidt
On bouncing back from the 9-0 loss at A&M Thursday: We had to just come back in and forget about that loss and not take it too hard. The game forgets everything, so we had to come back in and let it go.
On coming back from a fifth-inning, 6-1 deficit to win the game: We had to go up there and be aggressive. We had to limit our strikeouts looking from [Thursday's] game so that's what we thought about, going up there and putting the bat on the ball on anything close to the strike zone. We have to hand it to Rachel [Fox], she came in and did a great job. She just went in there and was confident and hit her spots and that gave us confidence to go up to the plate and hit.
On her 2-RBI walk-off hit to win the game: It was up and in actually and I was able to keep my hands up there. I was just going to put the bat on the ball, anything that was close.
On the team's preparation for tomorrow's rubber match: We need to continue to hit the ball and not make any errors on defense. Our pitchers are going to come in and do great for us and that will help us with our confidence.
