February 05, 2003
The 24th ranked Aggie softball team faced the University of Texas-San Antonio in an afternoon match at the Aggie Softball Complex and came out with a 9-1 victory on Wednesday.
In yesterday's games with Stephen F. Austin the Aggie bats were quiet as the team took two games behind dominating pitching and solid defense. Against UTSA the Aggies decided it was time to have some fun at the plate and got their sticks in to the game.
The Aggies were lead by senior shortstop Crystal Martin as she went 2 for 3 with a home run, her second of the year, and an RBI double. Three other Aggies homered giving the team six long balls in three games. The other Aggies to round the bases were junior Sherah Atkins (1), sophomore Adrian Gregory (2), and freshman Kristin Gunter (1).
Martin, who has four home runs in her career at A&M, already has two on the season after just three games. Martin hit the game winning home run in the second game of the double header against SFA on Tuesday. She credits her success at the plate to hard work and having a positive attitude.
"I have tried to have a positive attitude (at the plate) and take it one bat at a time. I have been working really hard with Coach "Wigs" (Wieligman) and everything has seemed to fall in to place."
After a slow start offensively in yesterdays games Head Coach Jo Evans was pleased to see the team pick up the tempo at the plate.
"We hit the ball really well, I was pleased with that. Just about everybody had a good at bat and several of our hitters had several good ones. I thought that we were patient at the plate. Yesterday we were pretty excited and a little impatient. If we can continue to get good production out of the nine hole (Martin) then we will be looking good for the season."
The Aggies sit at 3-0 on the season as they go in to tournament action this weekend in Phoenix, Arizona. The 24th ranked Aggies will be playing at the Fiesta Bowl Tournament on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Three of the five opponents that the Aggies will face are ranked in the preseason top twenty-five. On Friday the Aggies take on No. 10 Cal State Fullerton and No. 2 Arizona. Saturday has the team matched against No. 15 Fresno State and a tough Utah squad. The Aggies' lone game before returning home on Sunday will be against the Mississippi State Bulldogs.
The Aggies' next home game is in the St. Joseph Aggie Invitational I on Friday, February 14th. The lady's play two games on Friday, one against the Cougars of BYU and another against the McNeese State Cowgirls. The squad will play the same two teams the following day to wrap up their first home tournament of the season.