Texas A&M
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Kansas
Aggies Drop Road Game at Kansas
Apr 30, 2009 | Softball
April 30, 2009
LAWRENCE, Kan. - Despite a seven-strikeout performance in the circle and a solo home run at the plate by sophomore Rhi Kliesing, the Texas A&M softball team dropped a 4-1 game at Kansas on Wednesday afternoon.
Kliesing was one of two Aggies to produce a hit in a contest that was originally scheduled as a doubleheader, but rain in the Lawrence area caused the cancellation of the first game and pushed back the start of the second to 1:30 p.m.
With the loss A&M has yet to win a Big 12 game on the road and falls to 29-19 overall and 6-9 in the conference. The Jayhawks earned their third consecutive win to improve to 21-28 and 6-9 in league play.
"I'm frustrated that we weren't more aggressive on the first pitch," said head coach Jo Evans. "We knew (Val) George was going to throw strikes early, usually on the first pitch, and we just needed to be a more aggressive-hitting team."
Freshman Kelsea Orsak tallied the first single of the game in the top of the third after placing a perfect bunt that stopped two feet in front of the catcher. The Pearland, Texas, native stole second with two outs for her 13th stolen base of the season, but would move no further as the final out of the inning stranded her half-way around the bases.
Kolby Fesmire lined a solo home run to center field to put KU's first hit and first run on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third. The Jayhawks then proceeded to load the bases on a walk, single and hit by pitch before Amanda Jobe scored a pair of runs on a two-out single to right.
Kliesing tried to help her cause at the plate and cut the Jayhawk lead to two with her eighth home run of the season, a solo shot to right field in the top of the fourth.
Kansas went back up by three runs in the sixth after Dougie McCaulley reached on a fielder's choice, stole second and scored on an infield error, which was A&M's third miscue of the game.
In the loss, Kliesing (20-12) allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits, walked two and fanned seven batters. George (10-14) gave up one run on two hits, walked one and struck out four.
The Aggies continue their road swing with a contest in the State Farm Lone Star Showdown at Texas on Saturday. The game is televised nationally on ESPN and first pitch is set for 6 p.m.
