Texas A&M
Texas
Grand Slam Powers Aggies Past Longhorns
May 02, 2009 | Softball
May 2, 2009
AUSTIN, Texas - AUSTIN, Texas - A six-run fifth inning that included a grand slam by junior Bailey Schroeder followed by a solo home run from junior Alex Reynolds powered the Texas A&M softball team past Texas, 6-1, on Saturday evening in the State Farm Lone Star Showdown at McCombs Field.
In front of a crowd of 1,376 and in a game that was televised nationally by ESPN, Schroeder launched her second career grand slam with two outs in the fifth and in the next at bat, Reynolds hit her third homer this season to give the Aggies (30-19, 7-9 Big 12) a 6-1 lead going into the final two-and-a-half innings.
Freshman pitcher Rebecca Arbino only got better as the game went on, retiring the Longhorns (37-17, 11-7 Big 12) in order in the fifth and sixth and fanning her first and second batters for the last two outs of the game and the win in the circle.
"This was a huge game and a huge win for us," said Evans. "Our kids were fired up and that's the way we can play. We've got a really good ball club, we just need consistency and we got it tonight."
Arbino gave up just one unearned run on four hits, walked one and struck out two in her 10th win of the season. Brittany Barnhill picked up the loss after giving up six runs on six hits, walking six and fanning five.
"Becca was terrific tonight," Evans said. "I felt really good about putting her out there in the lime light, in a big game and she did such a great job. Her change up was fabulous. She could throw it for a strike at any time and she kept their big hitters off balance."
Texas started the scoring in the bottom of the fourth after an A&M throwing error on a double play attempt went out of play allowing Courtney Johnson to score and get the Longhorns out to a 1-0 lead.
The Aggies more than answered in the top half of the fifth with a six-run rally that was started by sophomore Rhi Kliesing. The Pearland, Texas, native drove in sophomore Holly Ridley loaded the bases before Schroeder's four-bagger to left field and Reynold's solo shot to center.
Rhi's been hot lately, she's swinging the bat really well and that was a big RBI for us," said Evans. "What an exciting grand slam for Bailey and our team. She's just worked her tail off. Coach Firnbach said before the game that she was ripping the ball in the cage. And when Alex got up and hit the next one out - that was the nail in the coffin."
The win moves the Aggies into sixth place in the Big 12 and out of the Friday night game in the Big 12 Championship next weekend. The final seeding for the tournament will be determined after the Aggies' final regular season game at Baylor tomorrow at 4 p.m.
