Huskies Fall To No. 23 Texas A&M, Bounce Back Against Central Michigan

Saturday, February 20

Palm Springs, CA

12:00 PM

University of Washington

7-1

Texas A&M

9-1

Washington

A&M

Photo by: Washington Athletics

Huskies Fall To No. 23 Texas A&M, Bounce Back Against Central Michigan

February 21, 2016 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Washington Athletics

Site: Cathedral City, Calif.
Event: Mary Nutter Classic (Day 2)
Score: No. 23 Texas A&M 11, No. 9 Washington 6; No. 9 Washington 23, Central Michigan 0 (5)

CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. -- The No. 9-ranked University of Washington softball team split a pair of games on day two of the Mary Nutter Classic falling to No. 23 Texas A&M, 11-6, before bouncing back in dramatic fashion with a 23-0, five-inning decision against Central Michigan on Saturday (Feb. 20) in Cathedral City, Calif.

Senior Courtney Gano and sophomore Julia DePonte paced Washington at the plate against Texas A&M, both registering two RBI. Junior Casey Stangel and sophomore Trysten Melhart had a team-high two hits.

In the circle, Stangel came on in relief of starting pitcher Taran Alvelo in the third inning, giving up six runs on six hits through four innings. Alvelo gave up five runs -- four earned -- on five hits and two walks through the first two frames.

Washington took an early lead in the first against the Aggies after junior Ali Aguilar led off with a double and advanced to third on the next play. Gano's RBI sac-fly to center easily scored her and the Dawgs jumped out to a 1-0 advantage.

TAMU answered in the bottom half of the frame, scoring three runs -- all with two outs -- to take a two-run lead. With a runner at first, the Aggies hit back-to-back singles and scored off an error for their first run of the game. After a walk loaded the bases, a single then scored two more.

The Aggies used another two-out rally to add a pair of runs in the second, reaching on a single and then hitting a two-run home run to take a 5-1 lead.

Washington got one back in the third after Gano drew a one-out walk and Stangel singled to put a pair on. DePonte then delivered a single to bring home Gano and trim the Husky deficit to three runs.

Trailing 5-2 in the fourth, Washington rallied for three runs to tie the game. Sophomore's Krystal Aubert and Melhart hit back-to-back singles to lead off the frame and one out later, Aubert scored off an infield error. After Melhart scored off Gano's chopper to second, the Huskies took advantage of another infield error to tie the contest at 5-5.

The Aggies responded in the fifth however, scoring five runs off four hits. Using a double, hit-by-pitch and single to load the bases, TAMU hit a single to take a 6-5 lead and one out later, hit a grand slam to go up, 10-5.

Washington tacked on a run in the sixth, but Texas A&M answered with a run of their own in the bottom half of the frame and got the Huskies in order in the seventh to hand Washington its first loss of the 2016 season.

Junior Ali Aguilar went 3-for-4 and registered a career-high seven RBI to lead the team against Central Michigan. The shortstop hit her second career grand slam to give the Huskies a 10-0 lead in the third. Two innings later, DePonte smacked the team's second grand slam as part of a 2-for-4 effort with a career-high five RBI.

Sophomore RHP Madi Schreyer (4-0) was efficient in the circle, tossing her third shutout of the season, striking out four while allowing just two hits and no walks.

The Huskies registered 17 hits in the game by nine different batters, scoring 10 runs in the third, six in the fourth and seven in the fifth.

Freshman Morganne Flores went 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored. The catcher smacked her first collegiate homer in the third inning. Fellow freshmen Tannon Snow recorded three RBI in the game and Rachel Ogasawara delivered a single in her first collegiate at-bat in the fifth.

Washington wraps up play in the Mary Nutter Classic tomorrow (Feb. 21) against UCF.