February 11, 2007
After two intentional walks, Megan Gibson hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh to upset No. 1 Arizona 3-2 in the final day of games at the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Ariz.
?We left last year 3-2 and didn?â„¢t feel like we really played that well,? commented A&M head coach Jo Evans. ?This year (5-0) we came really prepared. I think our kids played well and we got great defensive play again today. I thought Macie Morrow stood out and Amanda Scarborough did a nice job on the mound. I think we made plays when we needed to and Amanda made pitches when she needed to.?
The Aggies loaded the bases in the second but a short-to-first play to get Sharonda McDonald out, ended A&M?â„¢s threat to even the score. It wasn?â„¢t until the third inning that Arizona (4-2) plated the first run of the game when Adrienne Acton scored the go-ahead run from third on a passed ball.
A&M had runners in scoring position again in the fourth, Ronda Smith singled to lead-off the inning, Patti Wunderlich sacrificed pinch-runner Bailey Schroeder to second. McDonald singled and stole second before Morrow ended the inning with a strikeout.
Third baseman Jamie Hinshaw led off the fifth with a single; moved to second a passed ball and scored on a double to right field by Jami Lobpries.
Caitlin Lowe laid down a bunt to reach in the seventh; advanced to second with a steal and third on a ground out. She eventually scored on a sac fly by Kristie Fox, putting the Wildcats up 2-1.
In A&M?â„¢s last at-bat, Scarborough started the inning off with a double to right-center field and moved up to third on a wild pitch. With no outs and two strikes, Gibson stroked a deep shot over the center field fence for the Aggies?â„¢ fifth straight win.
?I just liked our competitiveness and our intensity today,? Evans said. ?I liked that we stayed calm. They got up twice on us and we didn?â„¢t get rattled. We really made things happen.?
Scarborough earned the complete game victory, her third in as many games. She allowed just two runs, one earned on five hits and struck out five.
At the plate, Hinshaw was 2-for-4 with a run scored. Gibson was 1-for-2 with a run scored and two RBI. Her walk-off home run earned Gibson State Farm Player of the Day accolades.
A&M returns to Aggieland to open the home portion of its schedule on Friday in the opening day of the Aggie Classic against Arkansas at 2:30 p.m.
Fans wanting to purchase season and individual game tickets can do so by calling 1-888-99-AGGIE or logging on to www.AggieAthletics.com.