Texas A&M
Oklahoma
Aggies Fall in Big 12 Championship Semifinal
May 15, 2010 | Softball
May 15, 2010
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - Despite Texas A&M freshman Meagan May launching her 22nd home run of the season, the No. 3 seed Aggies fell 5-1 to No. 2 seed Oklahoma in the Big 12 Championship semifinals on Saturday night at the ASA Hall of Fame Stadium.
A&M (42-14), who shutout Nebraska, 5-0, in the quarterfinals earlier this evening, was eliminated from the tournament by the Sooners (42-10). The Aggies now await word of their berth into the NCAA Tournament on the Division I softball selection show tomorrow night, Sunday, May 16 at 9 p.m. on ESPNU. The Sooners (42-10) advance to the championship final tomorrow at noon against No. 5 seed Missouri who upset top-seeded Texas, 11-6.
"It was a really quick turnaround in between games today, but this was a good game," said Evans. "We let it get away a little bit in the fourth inning, but our team played really hard. We didn't quit and I liked our fight. We were a different ball club than the last time we played Oklahoma."
In a scoreless battle through three, the Sooners managed one infield hit and freshman Keilani Ricketts fanned four, while A&M freshman Melissa Dumezich struck out five.
The Aggies' broke through first and started the scoring in the fourth as May smacked a solo home run over the right field fence with two outs.
Oklahoma answered in the bottom of the inning as Big 12 Player of the Year, Amber Flores, led off with a line-drive double a bounce away from the center field fence. Haley Nix scored Flores on an infield single before Ricketts blasted a three-run shot to center to put the Sooners up, 4-1.
OU added a run in the fifth with three consecutive base hits. Jessica Shults plated Krystle Huey from second on an RBI single through the right side.
Ricketts (27-8) threw a two-hit complete game for the win in the circle. She gave up one run, walked one and tallied 12 K's.
"What made Ricketts especially tough tonight was her change up," commented Evans. "She could throw it for a strike at any time in the count."
Dumezich (17-2) was tagged with her first loss in nine games after allowing five runs on eight hits, walking one and striking out eight. The Whiting, Ind., native fanned 16 in two games today.
"Mel got roughed up a little, but she didn't give up," Evans said. "She shut it down and kept us in the game."
Sophomore Kelsea Orsak recorded the second hit for the Aggies to lead off the seventh inning.
"I feel good about our team going into Regionals," said Evans. "It's a team that has a fire in its belly. We lost to a very good OU team and I have a lot of respect for their program. I like that we're going to remember this day and that we have the fight in us to beat good teams."
