Aggies Win With Walk-Off Single in Eighth

Saturday, February 11

Tempe, Ariz.

8:00 PM

Texas A&M

3-1

San Jose State

1-4

San Jose State

Texas A&M

Feb 12, 2012 | Softball

Box Score

By: Texas A&M Athletics

TEMPE, Ariz. - Junior Brittany Walker hit the game-winning, walk-off single as the 15^th-ranked Texas A&M softball team (3-1) defeated San Jose State (1-4) on day two of the Kajikawa Classic.

"It wasn't pretty at all," head coach Jo Evans said. "We just have to be happy to run out of here with a win. We're just uptight a little bit at the plate. At first we were a little bit loose, thinking we might get an easier game than Arizona and Stanford and our kids came out and didn't make adjustments. I give a lot of credit to their pitcher. I thought she threw a great game."

The Aggies put two on the bags on walks in the first inning and didn't get a hit until junior Brittany Walker beat out an infield single in the bottom of the third. The Spartans' first base hit happened in the top of the first when Jessica Garcia lobbed a ball just past the dirt into left field. Aggie hurler Lindsey Sisk fanned the final batter, however, and Garcia was stranded.

Garcia also earned SJSU's second hit of the game, a high double that landed deep in right field in the fourth. After a sacrifice bunt sent her to third, the catcher scored on an RBI single through the left side by Markesha Collins. The Spartans left two runners in scoring position to end the inning.

In the bottom of the inning, sophomore Nicole Morgan hit a long shot that looked like it was going yard, but SJSU left fielder Collins got to the fence and grabbed the ball on its way out of the park. With two outs, Sisk hit a similar shot that was nabbed by the Spartans' center fielder.

Sophomore Cassie Tysarczyk led off in the bottom of the fifth with a walk and took second on a bunt single by sophomore Amber Garza. Senior Kelsea Orsak laid down a bunt single behind Garza as Tysarczyk took third.

With two outs, Evans called for a double steal to distract the defense with Orsak as Tysarczyk stole home. Orsak worked her way out of the rundown and slid safely into second. The Aggie centerfielder was later caught stealing to end the inning in a 1-1 tie.

With the international tiebreaker in extra innings, the Aggies held an SJSU runner at third base to get out of the top of the eighth.

Freshman pinch runner Brittany Clopton entered to run at second base for A&M in the bottom of the inning and took third on a sacrifice bunt by Garza. With two outs and runners on the corners, Walker singled through the left side and plated the winning run in walk-off style as Clopton crossed home.

Sisk improves to 1-1 on the season with the 2-1 victory, fanning four batters while allowing one run on four hits. SJSU's Amanda Pridmore (1-2) suffered the loss after striking out 10 batters and giving up two runs on three hits.

A&M improves to 3-1 on the season with the win. Each of their four games this season has been decided by one run.

The Aggies end the tournament tomorrow with a 9:30 a.m. CST game vs. Northwestern at Arizona State's Farrington Stadium. The game will be broadcast on Sports Radio 1150 AM, 95.1-3 The Zone HD and AggieAthletics.com. To learn more about Texas A&M softball, log on to AggieAthletics.com.