Texas A&M
Texas-San Antonio
Aggies Take Two from UTSA
Feb 15, 2006 | Softball
February 15, 2006
The 9th-ranked Texas A&M softball team (5-2) opened the 2006 home schedule with two victories (7-6, 4-2) over the University of Texas- San Antonio Roadrunners (4-3) in front of 877 fans Wednesday at the Aggie Softball Complex.
?We expected a slugfest from UTSA,? commented A&M head coach Jo Evans. ?They have a bunch of great hitters; they can hit the longball. When we got the lead I was very excited, but then they would come right back. They are definitely a team that you can never take for granted. I was very pleased with the way our team stayed in it until the end.?
In game one, the Roadrunners posted one run in the top of the first when leadoff batter, Mel Torres scored on a single by designated player, Amanda Horton that fell just over the head of Aggie shortstop Holley Ridley.
A throwing error to home by starting pitcher, Amanda Scarborough, allowed UTSA to bring in their second run of the game in the top of the second inning.
The Aggies evened the game, two-all, on a mammoth homerun in the bottom of the second by Ridley. The two-run blast scored Jami Lobpries who reached on an error by Roadrunner third baseman Rachel Rackley.
In the top of the fifth, Brittany Cantu hit a line-drive that just cleared the leftfield wall for her fifth homerun of the season to put UTSA back on top 3-2.
A&M answered in the bottom on the fifth as catcher, Beverly Rowan reached on a single and advanced on a fielding error by the right fielder. Senior, Rocky Spencer lined a double into center to score Rowan and tie the game at three. One batter later, freshman leftfielder, Ronda Smith followed suit with another double, this time on the rightfield line, driving in Spencer. Walk-on Kristine Test came-in to pinch run for Smith and advanced to third when Sharonda McDonald reached first on a fielding error by Roadrunner pitcher, Ursula Mares. Jamie Hinshaw then ripped a double into right-center pushing the Aggie lead 6-3.
The Roadrunners tied the game at six with back-to-back homeruns in the top of the sixth. Horton recorded her second and third RBI of the game with a two-run shot over the left-centerfield wall. Rackley sent an almost identical solo shot out of the ballpark.
Lisa Gorzycki was brought in to relieve Scarborough after the Rackley homerun. She gave up a hit and walked a batter before striking out pinch hitter Catherine Garza to end the inning.
In the bottom of the seventh, sophomore Jamie Hinshaw hit a single to right. Sharonda McDonald took third on a fielding error by UTSA rightfielder, Leanne Risberg, and advanced home for the game-winner on the third baseman?™s throw to second.
Gorzycki was credited with the win and improves to 1-0 on the season. She pitched 1.1 innings giving up two hits, walked one and struckout one.
In the second game of the doubleheader, Hinshaw recorded three RBI in the third inning, sending a bomb over the right-centerfield wall and scoring Smith and second baseman Joy Davis who each reached on singles.
Megan Gibson got the nod in game two for the Ags and in the bottom of the fourth sent out a solo shot just to the right of the scoreboard; extending the A&M lead 4-0.
In the top of the seventh the Roadrunners ruined Gibson?™s no-hitter. Jessica Els hit a double to lead-off and then Aimee Murray sent the longball over the fence in centerfield.
Gibson (3-0) recorded the complete game victory giving up two runs on two hits. She struckout six and walked two.
?In the second game Megan Gibson was outstanding,? Evans concluded. ?She was just great. I thought she had complete control of her pitches. ?
Hinshaw and Ridley were named State Farm Players of the Day. Hinshaw went 3 for 5 with five RBI driving in the winning run in game one before hitting a three-run shot to put the Ags on top in game two. Ridley was 4 for 5 on the day with a homerun and two RBI.
The Aggies?™ next game will be on Friday at 5:00 p.m. against Southeastern Louisiana. The game will be the first of four for the A&M in this weekend?™s Aggie Classic held at the Aggie Softball Complex.
You can access live audio and stats for the games played during the Aggie Classic by logging on to AggieAthletics.com. Fans attending any home game this season can listen to AggieAthletics.com?™s broadcast inside the stadium on 89.9 FM.
To purchase tickets for Aggie home games, contact the Texas A&M Athletic Ticket Office at (979) 845-2311 or (888) 99-Aggie.
NOTE: The UTSA/A&M match-up on March 30, 1994 was the first game ever played at the Aggie Softball Complex.
