February 16, 2005
Texas A&M freshman Megan Gibson went 4-for-4 with two home runs and seven RBI on the day as the Aggies run-ruled Stephen F. Austin 11-1, 11-0 in a doubleheader at the Aggie Softball Complex.
"This was dominating performance by our team today," A&M head coach Jo Evans stated. "Megan (Gibson) and Amanda (Scarborough) were very precise in the circle and the teams approach at the plate was magnificent. I don't know what more I could ask out of this team, they continue to come out and take care of business in each game."
The Ladyjacks fell to 3-5 on the season while the Aggies improved to 7-0, their best start since starting the 1999 season 8-0.
Texas A&M came out swinging and never looked back as they racked up 22 runs on 32 hits including three home runs and four doubles. In the circle, the Aggie pitchers combined for 10 scoreless innings, 14 strikeouts, four hits and only two walks.
In the first game, Gibson (Spring, Texas) put the Aggies up 1-0 in the second with her third home run of the season when she knocked the 0-2 offering over the right field fence.
The Aggies broke the game open in the third with 10 runs on 10 hits. Jamie Hinshaw (Missouri City, Texas) got it started when she scored on an Adrian Gregory (Livingston, Texas) infield single before Gibson made it 5-0 with her second home run of the game in the following at-bat. With Jana James (Mesquite, Texas) and Gregory on base, Gibson hit a towering home run to right giving the Aggie pitcher four RBI in the game.
Game-two starter, Amanda Scarborough (Magnolia, Texas) followed her fellow freshman's lead when she made it back-to-back round trippers with her first career home run giving the Aggies a six-run lead.
After the Aggies batted around, Hinshaw made it a perfect 3-for-3 in the game with a single to left that plated Sharonda McDonald (Houston, Texas) and Joy Davis (Austin, Texas).
In the next at-bat, James made it 9-0 Aggies, and improved to 3-and-3 on the day, with a double up the middle that scored Hinshaw from second.
In her second at-bat of the inning, Gibson recorded her fifth and sixth RBI's of the game with a double to right center scoring James and Gregory.
Gibson earned her second win in her first complete-game effort as she held the SFA batters, who were hitting .365 as a team coming into the day, to a .158 average, allowing only three hits while striking out eight.
In the nightcap, Gregory got the Aggies started in the first with a single through the right side scoring McDonald and Hinshaw.
Rocky Spencer (Katy, Texas) then tagged on three runs with a double to left center scoring Gibson and Scarborough after they reached on a walk and base hit, respectively.
Designated player, Lindsay Park (Arcadia, Calif.) gave the Aggies their seventh hit of the inning and a five-run cushion when she laced a single to left center scoring Scarborough from third.
Later that inning, James dropped a double into left center, Gibson made it 6-0 A&M with a single to right that scored James.
With the first pitch of the third inning, Park made it 3-for-3 on the day when she drove the ball over the left center wall and onto the street for her first home run of the season and her first home run of her career at the Aggie Softball Complex.
With two outs in the inning, James recorded her fifth hit and second RBI of the day with a single to left scoring Davis and giving the Aggies an 8-0 lead.
The Aggies added three runs off of four hits in the fourth to give A&M their second 11-0 victory of the day.
Scarborough, the game-two starter, improved to 4-0 on the season and extended her scoreless innings streak to 21 while only allowing one hit, a bunt single, and striking out six.
With her six-RBI and eight strikeout performance in game one, Gibson was named the State Farm Player of the Day.
The Aggies take the field again this weekend when they host the St. Joseph's Aggie Classic beginning on Friday at the Aggie Softball Complex. Tournament information is available on AggieAthletics.com.