April 29, 2007
Megan Gibson was 2-for-4 at the plate with two RBIs but a four-run sixth inning lifted the Texas Tech Red Raiders over the 5th-ranked Texas A&M softball team on Senior Day, Sunday at the Aggie Softball Complex.
?Tech came out very aggressive and we just looked tight today,? A&M head coach Jo Evans said. ?I kept thinking that we?â„¢d relax and get though it and we didn?â„¢t. It was very frustrating. We?â„¢ve got to give credit to Tech. They stayed aggressive and put pressure on our pitchers and did a good job hitting.?
With the loss, the Aggies fall to 39-8, 12-5 in Big 12, while the victory gives Tech a 19-26 overall record and 2-12 mark in league play.
Tech plated two runs in the first inning off two singles and a double. Ashley Parker led off with a hard chopper at third base and stole second and came home on a little dribbler back to third by Leah Legler. Designated player Montana Patin ripped a double to bring Parker home. Legler scored on an Aggie overthrow at the plate.
The Aggies tied the game at two after posting runs in the first and third innings. Sharonda McDonald led off with the first of her two singles on the day and moved to second on a passed ball and took third on a fly out to left by Macie Morrow. Gibson hit a soft grounder to Jennifer Corkin at first base, allowing McDonald enough time to come home.
Two innings later Lisa Gorzycki reached on a bunt single, stole second and scored on a double into left field by Gibson. The RBI was Gibson?â„¢s second of the game and 34th of the season.
Four base hits, a walk and a wild pitch in the sixth gave Tech enough run support to earn the victory. Third baseman Natalie Kula started the inning with a walk and Parker and Legler drove the ball into the outfield to bring Kula home. Patin was retired second to first, but logged an RBI as Parker scored on the play. Corkin hit a double to score Legler and moved home, herself, on a single by Whitney Riley.
The Aggies put runners on in the sixth and seventh innings but could not manufacture a run as they left four runners in scoring position on the afternoon.
Amanda Scarborough (20-5) saw a 37.1 consecutive scoreless inning streak come to an end. Scarborough worked five and two thirds innings giving up six runs on 10 hits . She walked one and struck out seven. Emily Shadow and Gibson combined to finish the game in relief.
?The difference today was that Scarborough just didn?â„¢t have that pitch that put a batter away,? Evans said. ?They did a good job of staying in their at bats and not getting discouraged or defensive with two strikes and really staying aggressive.?
Ashly Jacobs moved to 14-14 with the win. She worked all seven innings giving up two runs on eight hits. She walked two and struck out four Aggie batters.
Jamie Hinshaw, McDonald and Gorzycki all finished the day hitting 2-for-3 at the plate.
A&M will conclude regular season play on Tuesday in Waco as they face the 10th- ranked Baylor Lady Bears at 6:30 p.m.