March 18, 2006
A six-run fourth inning led the No. 18 Texas A&M softball team (19-8) past the No. 14 Oklahoma Sooners (22-8-1), 7-6, in the first game of bracket play in the Judi Garman Classic.
?I?â„¢m really proud of our team for hanging in there. We gave-up a couple of runs in the first inning, but we really stayed in there,? commented A&M head coach Jo Evans. ?We get to play on championship day, which is always your goal when you come to a tournament. I think our team is playing great defense and playing really well all together and gaining a lot of confidence going through this tournament.?
The Sooners got on the board first, putting up two runs in the first on a single and two doubles by Kristin Vesley, Samantha Ricketts and Mariee Mena.
Third basemen, Jamie Hinshaw brought the Aggies within one in the bottom of the third on a solo shot over the right field wall. The homer was Hinshaw?â„¢s fourth of the season and second for the tournament.
The Aggies batted around in the bottom of the fourth, scoring six runs on four hits and two OU errors. Amanda Scarborough was able to tie the game on a lead-off home run over the left field fence, near the foul pole to get things started. The next five runs came off a walk drawn by Ronda Smith. Patti Wunderlich was able to advance Smith to second on a throwing error by the Sooner third baseman. Kristine Test was brought in to pinch run and advanced on a Holly Ridley single to center, Smith Scored. Sharonda McDonald reached on a fielder?â„¢s choice scoring bringing in another A&M runner. Hinshaw singled to driving in the Aggies?â„¢ fourth run of the inning. Scarborough came around again to double this time and bringing the remaining two runners.
?Hinshaw gets up there and hits a homerun and Scarborough gets up there and hits a homerun and then we?â„¢re right back in there, 2-2,? Evans noted. ?We had a big inning and scored a bunch of runs. We need to be better at putting a team away when we get a five-run lead. OU is a great hitting team and I have a lot of respect for them.?
Oklahoma plated four runs in the top of the fifth, to bring them within one run of tying A&M. Two of the runs came on back to back solo shots by Vesley and Ricketts. Hinshaw recorded a throwing error that later allowed Mena and Jamie Fox to score.
Lisa Gorzycki was brought in to relieve starting pitcher Gibson in the sixth. She threw two complete allowing one hit, one walk and she struckout one to earn her second save of the season.
?Gorzycki came in and shut them down for the last two innings,? Evans said. ?That?â„¢s what you need, a pitcher that can come-in in late innings and give them a different look. She did a great job to come in and keep hitters off balance and get some outs.?
Gibson improved to 10-2 with the win. She threw five complete, giving up 11 hits, six runs, four earned. She walked one and struckout two of the 29 batters she faced.
Scarborough was named State Farm Player of the Day, going 2-for-3 with a solo homerun, a double and a walk. She scored a run and drove in three RBI.
The Aggies will face the winner of the Cal State Fullerton and Washington match-up at 12:30 p.m. on ?Championship Sunday? of the Judi Garman Classic.
You can access live stats for all the Aggies?â„¢ tournament games by logging on to www.AggieAthletics.com.