COLLEGE STATION, Texas - The Rutgers softball team dropped two games at the Aggie Classic on Saturday, falling first to Texas-San Antonio, 10-0, before losing a 7-4 decision to third-ranked Texas A&M at the Aggie Softball Complex.

Junior Christine Royland (Westwood, N.J.) and freshman Nicole Lindley (Cicero, N.Y.) led the Scarlet Knights (0-4) with three hits a piece on the day, as both tallied two hits against the Aggies in game two, including a double from Royland. Sophomore Amanda Shaw (Yorba Linda, Calif.) had two hits on the second day of the event, while Ashley Hartley (Ripon, Calif.) had a team-best three RBI.

Senior Nicole Freeman (Sandy, Utah) pitched 6.1 innings against the Aggies striking out three batters and allowing four earned runs, while Lindley, in 3.1 innings, struck out four and allowed six earned runs against Texas-San Antonio. Chrissy Yard came in as relief in both games, striking out two batters.

In the second game, against Texas A&M, the third-ranked team took an early 3-0 lead, capitalizing off of four Scarlet Knight errors. The inning ended when the Aggies' Rhonda Smith grounded into a double play. After a scoreless second inning, the Aggies scored to take a 4-0 lead on an error by Rutgers. With two outs and two on, Freeman struck out Holly Ridley to end the inning.

A&M retired three-straight RU batters in the third, and the Scarlet Knights held the Aggies scoreless in the top of the fourth, including another Freeman strikeout. Lindley looked to get the Scarlet Knights going with a base hit to left field in the fifth inning. Royland came up and nailed a line drive into center field, advancing Lindley to second on the play. A pass ball to Hartley moved the runners ahead; putting two in scoring position for the Scarlet Knights and on the next pitch, Lindley crossed the plate as Hartley grounded out to third base. 

To open the sixth, A&M's Joy Davis got on base with an infield single, stole second and then advanced to third on a passed ball. Sharonda McDonald got a hit to Sarah Kalka (Moreno Valley, Calif.) at shortstop, who flipped it to Shantai Dixon (Sayreville, N.J.) as she tagged Davis out at third. The Aggies' Jami Lobpries lined out to Kalka to end the inning.

In the bottom of the sixth, Shaw reached base on an error and Valiante singled, putting two on for the Scarlet Knights. Amanda Heller (Belle Mead, N.J.) came in to pinch run and stole second, putting two runners in scoring position. With two outs, Mallory Miller (Anaheim, Calif.) grounded out to the shortstop, ending the offensive opportunity for Rutgers.

With two on base and just one out in the top of the seventh, A&M's Rhonda Smith drilled a homerun to centerfield, putting the Aggies ahead, 7-1. The Aggies' Lobprice came to the plate with the bases loaded, but lined out to Chrissy Yard (Hillsborough, N.J.) who came in as relief for the Scarlet Knights.

Lindley led off the bottom of the seventh with a single down the left field line, her second hit of the game. Royland drilled a double to center field, putting runners in scoring position for the Scarlet Knights. Another double, this time from Hartley, plated two runs for Rutgers, cutting the Aggies' lead to, 7-3.

Dixon popped out to the shortstop and a pass ball moved pinch runner Kim Hodges (Houston, Texas) to third. Shaw got on base, putting runners in the corners for Kristen Madoch (Glenview, Ill.). Madoch singled to the shortstop, loading the bases for Carissa Conroy (Richmond, Va.) who drove in Hodges with a sacrifice fly, the second out of the inning. Valiante grounded out to end the game, improving Texas A&M's record to 7-0 on the year.

In the first game of the day, the Scarlet Knights dropped a 10-1 decision to Texas-San Antonio. The Roadrunners led 1-0 after the first inning, but in the second, Rutgers tied the game when Miller scored on a single from Royland. The Scarlet Knights tallied three hits in the second inning.

Following three-consecutive three-inning efforts from Texas-San Antonio, the Roadrunners tallied the five-inning victory, as they moved to 3-5 on the season.

Rutgers will close out the Aggie Classic with a match-up against Arkansas on Sunday, Feb. 18, at 10:00 a.m.