During Senior Day at the Aggie Softball Complex on Sunday, seniors Mel Dumezich and Meagan May came through for Texas A&M, helping the Aggies defeat Mississippi State 4-2 in the team’s final game of the regular season.
A&M was able to regroup after falling 6-2 Saturday to the Bulldogs. A&M earned the series victory Sunday after winning Friday’s game 5-2.
May and Dumezich batted in all four A&M runs and Dumezich struck out 10 batters in Sunday’s win.
A&M (39-14, 10-13 SEC) got on the board first with a solo home run by May that landed on Tom Chandler road, the street separating the softball complex from Reed Arena.
“I’ve got a new strategy now,” A&M head coach Jo Evans said. “We’re going to tell Meagan every day for the rest of the season is Senior Day because she showed up to play today in a big way.”
Mississippi State (32-21, 8-16 SEC) took a 2-1 lead in the top of the sixth with a bases-loaded, two-out single.
“That was a big hit they had in the sixth inning and our kids could have felt sorry for ourselves and quit but that didn’t happen,” Evans said. “Mel, like she always does, said ‘not on my watch.'”
With runners on second and third in the bottom of the sixth inning, Dumezich swung at the first pitch she saw and sent a two-out shot over the centerfield wall for a 4-2 lead.
Dumezich closed out the game with a strikeout in the seventh inning to secure her 26th win. May was 2-for-2 with the home run, an infield single and a walk in the victory.
Evans honored May, Dumezich and senior Sydney Shannon after the game as part of the Senior Day festivities. May spoke on behalf of the three seniors to thank the fans and their coach.
“We as a senior class, really want to thank coach Evans,” May said. “It all starts with her.”
May will leave A&M as the all-time home run leader, closing her career with 64.
“Everyone knows this name, Megan May,” Evans said. “Everyone knows she’s in our record books as the all-time home run leader at Texas A&M. It was very fitting that she went out today and hit another one just for good measure. Our team has set a record for home runs in a season and it’s due in large part to Meagan and what she’s done.”
Dumezich will go down as one of many great Aggie pitchers, but her accomplishment will also be complemented by 142 RBI in her career. On the mound Dumezich has 103 career victories.
“She makes us go,” Evans said. “She’s the engine that a lot of times is driving this thing. We love the way that she fights and her warrior mentality. She’s developed into one of the very best pitchers that has ever pitched at Texas A&M.”
The season is not over for the Aggies, however, who will travel to Lexington, Ky. this week to play in their first-ever SEC Tournament as the league’s No. 9 seed. A&M will compete in a play-in game with the No. 8 seed Alabama at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday on ESPNU.
“To come out from yesterday’s loss and get a win today, it’s all about momentum. It’s all getting us ready to win championships,” Evans said. “We struggled some in the conference but now we have a chance to win an SEC championship.”