May 7, 2009
Complete Release in PDF Format 
COLLEGE STATION, Texas -
The Texas A&M softball team travels to the ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, Okla., this weekend as the sixth seed in the 2009 Big 12 Softball Championship. The Aggies' first game of the single elimination tournament is against third-seeded Baylor at 11:30 a.m. Saturday. The winner of the championship will receive an automatic bid to the 2009 NCAA Tournament.
Oklahoma claimed the top seed in the 14th annual conference championship, while Missouri secured the No. 2 seed. Both teams have a first-round bye. Baylor received the No. 3 seed, before fourth-seeded Texas and fifth- seeded Nebraska. Sixth-seeded Texas A&M is followed by Oklahoma State (No. 7), Iowa State (No. 8), Kansas (No. 9) and Texas Tech rounds out the 10th spot in the championship bracket.
The Aggies (31-19, 8-9 Big 12) enter the championship hot off of two road victories at Baylor and Texas and look to defend their 2008 Big 12 Championship. Sophomore Rhi Kliesing and freshman Rebecca Arbino go into the weekend as the reigning Big 12 Player and Pitcher of the Week.
Texas A&M has defeated its first opponent, Baylor, in two one-run games this season and seeks its third victory on Saturday. In fact, the Aggies have won the last four meetings between the two teams and hold a 53-18-1 record versus the Lady Bears.
The Aggies are 18-20 all-time in the Big 12 Championship and went 3-0 last year for the tournament title.
Live stats and free live audio are available for every game this weekend on AggieAthletics.com. In addition, Sports Radio 1150 The Zone will broadcast each game and live video of Saturday's game(s) is available on Big12Sports.com. Sunday's championship final will be televised on FSN.
TICKETS AND PARKING
Tickets are available through the Oklahoma City All Sports Association. Only All-Session ticket booklets are sold in advance. Single session tickets are sold at the ASA Hall of Fame Stadium box office on game days only. For more information or to order tickets, visit http://www.okcallsports.org. Parking for the championship is free.
THIRD TIME'S A CHARM
Texas A&M will battle for its third win against Baylor this season after sweeping the team in the regular season. The Aggies have already accomplished this feat in 2009 by winning three games against Sam Houston State - one home, one away and one at a neutral site - which would be the same scenario if A&M downs BU.
A LOOK AT THE BRACKET
Should A&M defeat Baylor, it will face the winner of second-seeded Missouri and either 10th-seeded Texas Tech or seventh-seeded Oklahoma State at 5 p.m. Saturday in a semifinal game. Sunday's championship final is set for 11:30 a.m.
REVENGE ON THE MIND
While the Lady Bears have dropped two games this season to the Aggies, it's A&M who should have revenge on its mind. Baylor downed the Aggies three times in 2007, including ending their season with BU's third win over A&M at the '07 Women's College World Series.
WHAT'S UP NEXT
If the Aggies do not receive an automatic bid at the Big 12 Championship they will await word of their berth to the 2009 NCAA Tournament on the Division I softball selection show Sunday, May 10 at 9 p.m. on ESPNU.
RPI
As of May 5, Texas A&M went up three spots and is ranked 32nd in the 2009 NCAA ratings percentage index. Other Big 12 schools in the top 40 are Oklahoma (6), Missouri (16), Texas (26) and Baylor (36).
WHO'S HOT
In the last five games, Kliesing posted a batting average of .538 with at least one hit in each contest. She adds six RBIs, a .846 slugging percentage, a .625 on base percentage and has hit in the last seven straight games. Ridley is hitting .438 with seven hits and four runs. In the last two games, Ridley has gotten even hotter with a .750 average going 6-for-8.
AGGIES SWEEP BIG 12 WEEKLY AWARDS FOR SECOND TIME
Kliesing and Arbino were selected as the final Big 12 Player and Pitcher of the Week on May 5. Each earned the conference honor for the first time, although Kliesing was named Big 12 Pitcher of the Week earlier in the season.
Arbino posted a 1.00 ERA earning A&M's only two conference road victories, while Kliesing hit .500 with at least one hit, one walk and one RBI in each game. The sophomore had a game-winning RBI single at Baylor and started a six-run rally in the fifth at Texas with an RBI single. She also added a solo home run at Kansas.
On March 3 senior Holly Ridley and Kliesing swept the weekly honors being named player and pitcher of the week, respectively.
GRAND SLAM
Junior Holly Ridley, Jamie Hinshaw and Macie Morrow also had great tournaments hitting .400 and .375, respectively, in the three games.