April 09, 2006
Jamie Hinshaw went 3-for-4 for Texas A&M with a double, two singles and a run scored as Amanda Scarborough threw her second one-hitter to split the series with the No. 21 Oklahoma Sooners in front of 1,077 fans on a sunny Sunday afternoon at the Aggie Softball Complex.
No. 16 A&M improved to 27-11, 6-2 in Big 12 with the win, as Oklahoma fell to 26-14-1, 3-6 in the league with the loss.
?I?â„¢m so excited for our kids,? commented A&M head coach Jo Evans. ?I didn?â„¢t expect that (loss) to happen yesterday, for us to kind of have that lackluster performance. However, I did expect to see what I saw today. I know that when I challenge our kids they respond. ?
For the fourth time this season, the Aggies scattered 11 hits in a ballgame. Four of the 11 hits came in the three-run first inning. Hinshaw led-off with a double to left field. Sharonda McDonald scurried to first on an infield single, advancing Hinshaw to third. Megan Gibson was then nailed by a pitch, moving McDonald to second, to load the bases for Scarborough, who singled to right earning her 15th RBI of the season. Starting Sooner pitcher D.J. Mathis, who shut out the Aggies on Saturday, threw a wild pitch that advanced the runners and scored McDonald. Mathis enticed two groundouts before giving up an RBI single to Holly Ridley for the third run of the inning.
A&M added a single run in the second. McDonald who reached on a fielder?â„¢s choice scored on Gibson?â„¢s double to left field. The RBI was Gibson?â„¢s 26th of the season. After McDonald crossed the plate, Gibson was picked-off rounding second to end the inning.
OU plated its only run of the game, in the third inning. Jessica Legendre walked and came around to score on a throwing error by Aggie center fielder, McDonald.
The Aggies added to their lead in the bottom of the third. Scarborough led-off with a double, advancing to third on a ground out by Jami Lobpries. Scarborough scored on Ridley?â„¢s double that bounced over the third baseman?â„¢s head, pushing the score to 5-1 in favor of A&M.
Six Aggie starters registered at least one hit in the game, with four players recording a multi-hit game. Gibson extended her hitting streak to five games.
?Hinshaw set the tone,? Evans noted. ?She doubled to left center and then she gets up the next time and drives one down the line. She just looked great, and Sho (McDonald) too. I was really excited about her, as well. She was right on the ball. When those two set the table, good things are going to happen in the middle of the order.?
Scarborough (12-5) notched her second win in as many starts for the Aggies, allowing one run on one hit. She walked two and struckout seven.
?Amanda was amazing,? Evans concluded. ?When we were in Austin we saw vintage Scarborough and here she was again today. It?â„¢s a big deal that she backed up that performance from Wednesday night against Texas.?
Mathis (10-4) suffered the loss. She gave up four runs on six hits in just two complete innings of work. Reliever, Morgan Hudsonpillar was charged with the Aggies?â„¢ fifth fun in only two-thirds inning of work.
Nicole Denes finished the game in the circle for the Sooners. She worked three and one-third innings, giving up just two hits.
Ridley was named State Farm Player of the Game, batting 2-for-3 with two RBI.
The Aggies will take to the road this week, playing two games Wednesday in Stillwater, Okla. before traveling to Ames, Iowa for a weekend series against the Cyclones.
Live audio and stats for the games will be available on AggieAthletics.com.