April 21, 2009
COLLEGE STATION, Texas -
In its effort to help strike out breast cancer, the Texas A&M softball team welcomes Sam Houston State to the Aggie Softball Complex on Wednesday for its inaugural “Swing for Life” game. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m.
Fans are encouraged to join the Aggies in wearing pink and breast cancer survivors can still signup to be acknowledged collectively prior to the start of the game. Survivors will be treated to free admission for themselves and a guest, a pink T-shirt printed by the College Station Medical Center to the first 150 registered and a meet and greet with the A&M players and coaches at the conclusion of the game. Any additional family members of breast cancer survivors can purchase tickets for a reduced group rate of $3.
The Aggies (27-17) are in sixth place in the Big 12 with a 5-7 record and are coming off of a 1-2 week that saw A&M defeat Baylor at home and fall twice on the road to No. 15 Oklahoma. Stepping out of conference play for the first time since Big 12 play began on March 21, Texas A&M posts a .260 batting average and .970 fielding percentage. The Aggie pitching staff has a 2.71 ERA and has fanned 231 batters.
The Bearkats are 23-21 overall and 12-12 in the Southland Conference. Sam Houston was blanked in the first two contests of a three-game series at Central Arkansas last weekend, but fought back for a 4-2 victory to avoid the sweep. SHSU is hitting .299 with a .967 fielding percentage. The pitching staff has 184 K's and a 2.37 ERA.
A&M leads the all-time series 74-13 and has already seen Sam Houston twice this season. The first meeting was a 14-inning win in Hunstville, Texas, on Feb. 11 marking the longest Aggie softball game since March 4, 1994. Texas A&M also faced the Bearkats in Baton Rouge, La., on Feb. 13 when the team took home an 8-3 victory.
Live stats and free live video and audio are available for Wednesday's game on AggieAthletics.com.
SWING FOR LIFE
This Wednesday the Aggies wear pink uniforms and the Aggie Softball Complex will be decorated in pink. Fans will have the opportunity to bid on the pink game jerseys worn by the Aggies through a silent auction. As part of the event, breast cancer survivors are invited to come together and be acknowledged collectively on the field prior to the start of the game.
For further information or if you are a breast cancer survivor who would like to be recognized on the field prior to first pitch, please contact Amy Norris at anorris@athletics.tamu.edu.
RECAP
A&M dropped two games at No. 15 Oklahoma last weekend, 7-3 and 3-1. The Aggies committed a season-high four errors on Saturday, but got on the scoreboard first on a one-out double by senior Erin Glasco in the first. The Sooners quickly moved ahead after A&M errors and two home runs. Junior Erin Glasco and Macie Morrow hit a foul ball that struck her in the face directly off the bat fracturing her orbital. The shortstop from Sugar Land, Texas, returned shortly to open Big 12 play against Nebraska. Morrow underwent surgery on March 27 and was recently cleared to play with a mask. She returned to the starting lineup on April 18 at Oklahoma and hit a two-run double the same day.