April 10, 2004
The Texas A&M softball team (25-16, 7-1) took both games of a doubleheader with Kansas (23-19-1, 2-6) on Saturday at the Aggie Softball Field. Senior Jessica Kapchinski earned the win in both games as she threw a complete game one-hitter in the first game and threw three innings in relief earning the win in the second game. The Aggies ran away with game one as they run-ruled the Jayhawks, 8-0, in six innings. In game two they relied on a four-run fifth inning to secure the 7-3 victory.
With the wins Kapchinski improved to 10-5 on the season and 6-1 in conference play. She struck out nine in the first game and three in the second and did not allow a run to score, extending her streak of innings without allowing an earned run to 39 2/3.
"Yeah she did (come up big for us)," A&M head coach Jo Evans commented. "She settled in and started to get in a rhythm. That lets you know that she is in a good place. She has gotten more meticulous about hitting her spots and not throwing the ball over the plate."
A&M scored five runs in the third inning of game one and added three more in later innings on their way to the run-rule.
Junior Nicole Robinson had the play of the game in game two, as she hit a three-run home run in the fifth, breaking a 3-3 tie and putting the Aggies ahead to stay.
"I was real excited for our team and for her," Evans continued. "(Nicole) has been struggling a little bit at the plate. She got a 2-0 pitch count and really made the most of it. That was great. I was so excited."
With one out in the third inning of game one the Aggies loaded the bases on a walk and a pair of singles by Nicole Robinson, Sherah Atkins and Sharonda McDonald, respectively, and then went ahead, 2-0, when Kansas catcher Dani May missed a throw home on a Rocky Spencer grounder allowing Lisa Gorzycki, who was pinch running for Robinson, to score along with Atkins.
Jana James kept the rally going as she drew a walk to load the bases for Adrian Gregory who delivered on the first pitch. Gregory dropped a single in to left field that scored McDonald and Spencer and gave the Aggies a 4-0 advantage. First baseman Kristin Gunter added a fifth Aggie run when she doubled down the left field line allowing James to score from second.
A&M added a sixth run in the fifth when James singled to center scoring McDonald from third. McDonald reached on her third single of the day before moving to second on a steal and advancing to third on a passed ball. James then scored when Gregory hit a single to right center driving in her third run of the game and giving the Aggies a 7-0 lead.
The Aggies put their eighth run across in the bottom of the sixth when Jayhawk relief pitcher Serena Settlemier dropped a pop up by McDonald allowing Robinson to score from third. Robinson scored after she reached on a single, moved to second on an Atkins single and advanced to third on a wild pitch.
In game two McDonald put the Aggies up, 1-0, in the first when she hit an infield single, stole second and then scored on a throwing error by Jayhawk catcher Mel Torres.
Kansas pulled ahead, 3-1, in the third inning as they pushed three runs across on four singles.
A&M wasted no time in responding to Kansas' scoring run as they tied the game in the bottom of the inning with two runs on three hits. Atkins started the inning of with a double to right field and quickly scored when McDonald drove the ball over the left fielder's head, resulting in a triple, her first extra-base hit of the season. McDonald then scored her second run of the game as she beat a throw home from second on a grounder by Rocky Spencer.
After Robinson hit her game-deciding home run Lindsay Wilhelmson added to the Aggie lead on the very next pitch when she drove the ball over the scoreboard, and on to the street, giving the Aggies a 7-3 lead.
With the sweep the Aggies improved to 7-1 in conference play, their best start in school history.
The Aggies take the field again on Wednesday when they host No. 20 Baylor at 6:30 p.m. at the Aggie Softball Field.
Live audio and stats will be available right here on AggieAthletics.com.