Dement homers twice to complete sweep in Oxford

Game #42: No. 13 Texas A&M 10, Ole Miss 9
Records: Texas A&M (30-12, 11-4), Ole Miss (26-18, 2-13)
WP: Sydney Lessentine (12-3)
LP: Kyra Aycock (10-9)
Save: Sidne Peters (4)
Box Score

It’s time to get the broom out, because Oxford, Miss., is littered with Maroon.

No. 13 Texas A&M held off a storming surge from Ole Miss on Sunday, beating the Rebels 10-9 to secure the Aggies’ second SEC sweep of the season.

In the bottom of the seventh, Sidne Peters faced Rebel’s third baseman Ryan Starr with two on and two out. The Rebels were one run away from evening the score, 10-10, but the Aggie didn’t let the pressure shake her.

She struck Starr out swinging to end the game at 10-9 and save A&M from an Ole Miss comeback.

To get things started, pinch hitter Maddie Sauni hit an RBI single in the second inning to put the Aggies on the board first. The pinch hitter has come in clutch recently, recording six RBI over her last seven games.

The star of A&M’s offense on Sunday was shortstop KK Dement, who gave the Aggies a large cushion in the third inning. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases for Dement. Tied 1-1, the sophomore mashed a grand slam over the left field fence to put A&M on top.

After setting the tone in the third, Dement came back for seconds, punching a two-run homer in the fifth to extend the lead to 7-1.

Sunday’s game was the third multi-home run game in Dement’s career, accounting for six of A&M’s 10 runs in game three.

Pitcher Kate Munnerlyn started in the circle for the Aggies, allowing two hits, one run and striking out two in two innings of work. Sydney Lessentine relieved Munnerlyn in the third, allowing one walk and no hits in her first two frames of work.

Despite the initial control in the circle and Dement’s commanding of the offense, the Ole Miss bats found their groove in the fifth, hitting two RBI and a two-run homer off Lessentine to tighten the score 7-6.

Lessentine allowed four hits, five runs and two walks, but she struck out three batters. She earned the win, bringing her record to 12-4.

Going into the sixth inning, the Maroon & White offense responded, as first baseman Micaela Wark slammed a three-run homer, extending the lead to 10-6.

The shot is Wark’s 18th of the season, which leads A&M. When combined with power hitter Mya Perez, the two account for 32 of 59 Aggie long balls this season.

Transfer pitcher Taylor Pannell relieved Lessentine in the fifth, pitching for 0.2 innings before Peters came in to close it. Pannell recorded back-to-back outs in the fifth to salvage the inning, but a walk and a hit in the sixth chased her.

Peters allowed four hits and one run in 2.0 innings of work, allowing the Rebels to come within one run. Despite the Rebel fight, Peters struck out three batters, including the final out, to earn her fourth save of the season.

A&M will leave Oxford with a series sweep and face the Baylor Bears at 6:30 p.m. CT on Wednesday in Waco.