March 02, 2004
No. 23 Texas A&M fell to 11-9 on the season as the lost 9-6 to Texas State (16-5) at the Aggie Softball Field on Tuesday.
In the first inning the Aggies posted a three-run two-out rally on three hits, a hit-by-pitch and one error. Freshman Laura Durham put the first two runs across with a single up the middle scoring Sherah Atkins and Adrian Gregory. Atkins, reached on an error by third baseman Brittany Hodge, stole second and moved to third when Gregory singled. First baseman Kristen Gunter was next to reach when she was hit by a Nicole Neuerburg pitch. Gunter scored the Ags third run on a single through the left side by catcher Nicole Robinson.
"We started out great in the first inning," Head Coach Jo Evans said. "We go out there and get three runs and we have people step up with big hits with a couple of outs. I was really pleased with the way we came out and swung the bat."
Texas State wasted no time in answering as they posted four runs on three hits, a hit batsman and a wild pitch in the top of the second. They increased their lead to 5-3 in the third off of three walks and an error.
The Bobcats added four runs to their lead in the fourth with a two out grand slam by second baseman Ashley Wilson.
The Aggies cut in to Texas State's lead in the bottom of the fourth when Atkins reached on a fielder's choice to short, scoring pinch runner Morgan Hebert from third. Hebert was pinch running for Robinson who was hit by a pitch. A&M cut the lead to 9-6 when left fielder Jana James hit a single to left center scoring Rocky Spencer from third and Sharonda McDonald from second. Spencer and McDonald both reached on infield singles.
A&M mounted a one-out rally in the final frame as they put two runners on but failed to score eventually fell to the Bobcats by a final score of 9-6.
Redshirt freshman Jill Weynand (5-3) got the start, and the loss, for the Ags as she lasted two innings and allowed five runs on three hits while walking three. Senior right hander Lindsay Wilhelmson entered in relief for Weynand and she also lasted two innings giving up four runs on two hits with three walks.
True freshman Christina Smith took over in the circle in the fifth and pitched three innings without allowing a runner to reach base while striking out three.
Evans was very pleased with the performance of her freshman pitcher.
"She threw great. I was really pleased with that," Evans said. "That is your responsibility as a reliever, to go in there in tough situations and find a way to get us out of it, and she did. She threw hard, she threw strikes, she didn't try to do too much and she did exactly what we asked her to do."
Evans and the Aggies travel to Arlington on Wednesday to take on the University of Texas-Arlington in a doubleheader beginning at 5 p.m. at Allan Saxe Field.
Live stats will be available on AggieAthletics.com.