May 02, 2003
The 20th-ranked Texas A&M softball team (won one and lost one on Friday at the Big 12 Softball Tournament in Norman, Oklahoma. The Aggies opened tournament play with a heart-breaking loss, 4-0, at the hands of No. 4 Oklahoma in the 11:00 a.m. game before knocking Texas Tech out of the tournament with a 2-0 win in an elimination game at 3:00 p.m. Oklahoma and A&M slugged it out for nine innings before the Sooners took the win with a ninth-inning grand slam by pitcher Kami Keiter. In the second game junior Jessica Slataper pitched the Aggies to victory over Tech by holding the Lady Raiders scoreless, allowing five hits and three walks en route to the Aggies first tournament win over Tech in three tries.
The game against OU was a pitchers duel as junior Lindsay Wilhelmson (16-6) pitched a nine-inning complete game striking out four and not allowing a run until the game-ending shot by Sooner right-hander Keiter. A&M and Oklahoma played eight innings of scoreless ball before Keiter stepped to the plate in the ninth with the bases loaded and delivered the game-winning hit. OU loaded the bases in the ninth with a double and two walks setting the table for Keiter.
A&M had a chance to score in the eighth inning when Crystal Martin hit a one-out single up the middle prompting Sherah Atkins, who was pinch-running for Kristin Gunter at second base, to try and score. Atkins didn't make it as she was gunned down at home for the second out followed by a snap throw, from the OU catcher, back to third to end the inning by outing Jana James who tried to advance from second on the throw home.
The loss was A&M's third in a row, the first time they have lost three in a row all season, with all three losses coming at the hands of Oklahoma.
In the second game A&M wasted no time in getting on top of the Raiders as Wilhelmson, the designated player, hit a booming solo home run to left field putting A&M up 1-0 and giving Slataper (13-13) all the run support she would need as she pitched a complete game shutout striking out five and walking three. Slataper pitched well and was backed by a superb defense that did not allow a base runner to reach third. The play of the game came in the top of the sixth with a Tech runner on second and Raider slugger Kristi Robles at the plate. With a 2-0 lead Slataper delivered the pitch and Robles hit a high fly ball to left that was leaving the park before sophomore Jana James raced back, and with her back against the fence, leaned over and robbed Robles of a game-tying home run. It was a spectacular play that took the wind out of the Raiders as the Aggies retired the next five batters to end the game and send Texas Tech back to Lubbock.
A&M moves on in the tournament tomorrow when the will take on the loser of tonight's match-up between Nebraska and Oklahoma State. First pitch for Saturday's game is slated for 12:30 at the Don Porter Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City. Fans can get live stats by logging on to SoonerSports.com or Big12Sports.com. Live audio of the contest is available by logging on to AggieAthletics.com.