Stephen F. Austin
Texas A&M
Ladyjacks Swept in Doubleheader
2/21/2007 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 21, 2007
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - The Stephen F. Austin Ladyjack softball team played solid in 10 of its 12 innings against No. 2 Texas A&M Wednesday, but was done in by a pair of six-run Aggie innings in a double-header sweep. Texas A&M put up six runs in the third inning to take charge in an 8-1 win in Game 1, then scored six more in the bottom of the sixth in Game 2 to salt away a 9-1 victory. With the losses, SFA falls to 3-6 on the year. A&M left the twin bill like it entered it -- undefeated -- extending its season-opening winning streak to 12 straight games.
The Aggies gained control early in the first game with their big third inning, but SFA was not without opportunities in the loss. The Ladyjacks squandered a six-hit effort by leaving eight runners on base in the game. SFA's best opportunity of the game came in the sixth inning when Sydney Davis singled to center then moved to third on a Briana Bishop double to left field. But two grounders and a strikeout preserved the shutout for A&M.
Freshman Ashley Wilburn started in the circle for SFA. She was chased by the Aggies' big third inning and left the game with seven earned runs on seven hits and four walks. Wilburn (2-4) recorded one strikeout in taking the loss. Debra Boles came on in relief and pitched two scoreless innings and got the first out in the sixth before A&M cut the game short with a final run to set the run-rule margin. Boles allowed three hits and posted one strikeout.
SFA's Kari Hugie and A&M's Amanda Scarborough engaged in a scoreless duel through four-and-a-half innings in the second game. But the Aggies scored three runs on five hits in their half of the fifth and again invoked the NCAA run rule when they wiped out SFA's one-run sixth with six runs of their own.
The Ladyjacks were held to three hits in Game 2, with two of them coming off the bat of first baseman Jessica Tullos. Tullos singled in the fourth then drove in SFA's only run of the game in the sixth when she hit a two-out double to center that scored Kendal Harper. Harper singled and stole second to lead off the inning.
Hugie (1-2) wound up charged with eight earned runs on 15 hits. She worked five complete innings but couldn't get an out in A&M's six-run sixth.
SFA will be back in action this weekend, when the Ladyjacks travel to Oklahoma to take part in the Tulsa Tournament. The tournament begins Friday at 9 a.m. when SFA takes on Missouri State. The tournament field also includes Tulsa, Eastern Illinois and Creighton.
-- SFA --
