Texas A&M
Wisconsin
Aggies Upend No. 11 Cal and Go 2-0 on Opening Day
Feb 12, 2010 | Softball
Feb. 12, 2010
TEMPE, Ariz. - Texas A&M freshman Sydney Shannon blasted a three-run home run in her first collegiate at-bat in the top of the seventh inning to give the Aggie softball team a 3-2, come-from-behind win over No. 11 California and a 2-0 record on opening day of the 2010 season at the Kajikawa Classic. A&M pounded Wisconsin, 16-1, in five innings at Farrington Stadium for their first win of the year.
"I'm really excited about our team," said head coach Jo Evans. "This is a team that we're going to have a lot of fun with. We had timely hitting, players stepped up, and our pitchers did a fantastic job. What I know about our team is that they really fight. I loved the energy in the dugout and I loved that this was a huge confidence boost for them. Nobody expected us to come out and beat Cal and we just came out and took care of business."
Prior to playing the Bears, A&M came off of a game against the Badgers (0-2) in which they tallied 13 hits, four doubles, two home runs and 16 runs.
"We got out in the first game and just blew it out of the water in the first inning," continued Evans. "The key in that game was our discipline at the plate. We were really terrific at taking our walks early on and then getting some big, timely hits and putting a lot of runs on the board. It's real comfortable to be in that situation and it was really nice to get that first win."
The Aggies rocket started the year against Wisconsin with an 11-run first inning that was highlighted by a bases-clearing double from freshman Alex Reynolds started the scoring with an RBI single after A&M's one, two and three batters, senior Macie Morrow, junior Bailey Schroeder drove in a run in the inning before Morrow and Spitter collected RBIs on two consecutive walks. Back-to-back two-run doubles by May and junior Rhi Kliesing topped off the scoring in the inning.
Wisconsin scored a run in the fourth when Shannel Blackshear led off with a single and scored after the Badgers' number eight batter, Maggie Strange, was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
A&M answered and batted around for the second time in the game in the bottom of the fourth. Spittler launched a three-run home run to right center and with one out, Reynolds hit a two-run, line-drive home run to center that gave the Aggies a five-spot in the inning and a 16-1 lead.
Kliesing picked up her first win going four innings and allowing one run on three hits, walking two and striking out eight. Dumezich finished the game in the circle and fanned two in top of the fifth.
Against Cal (0-1), Lindsey Ziegenhirt led off the bottom of the second frame with a solo home run to get the Bears out to a one-run lead. Shannon Thomas followed with an infield single and scored on an infield putout to give the Bears a 2-0 advantage.
A&M moved only one runner into scoring position prior to the seventh, but walks by Reynolds and Dumezich put two Aggies on base before Shannon was called upon to pinch hit with one out in the inning. She blasted a 1-0 pitch over the centerfield fence to give A&M the 3-2 lead.
"What a thrill for her first collegiate at-bat to be a three-run home run," exclaimed Evans. "She got all of it. As she was rounding third, I said to her, this is a moment you're never going to forget your whole life. Our freshman all day did a good job and I think that bodes well for our team."
In the bottom of the seventh, sophomore pitcher Rebecca Arbino fielded the first out and then struck out the final two batters for her first win. She threw a complete game and allowed two runs on eight hits, walked none and matcher her career high with nine K's.
The Aggies return to action tomorrow with a pair of games at the Kajikawa Classic. A&M faces Nevada at 1:30 p.m. before battling against No. 5 Arizona State at 8 p.m.
