Texas A&M
Texas Tech
No. 20 Texas A&M Sweeps Red Raiders
May 02, 2010 | Softball
May 2, 2010
LUBBOCK, Texas - Texas A&M sophomore Kelsea Orsak tallied a career-high five RBIs to lead the No. 20 Aggie softball team to an 8-4 win against Texas Tech on Sunday afternoon at Rocky Johnson Field.
From Pearland, Texas, Orsak went 2-for-3 with a three-run home run as A&M (39-13, 10-6 Big 12) swept the Red Raiders (35-15, 7-11 Big 12) for the third straight year.
"We really needed the sweep and we knew coming in it was going to be very challenging for us," said A&M head coach Jo Evans. "I'm really pleased with the way our team came out and played this weekend. It's the bottom of our order that's really been making us go lately and it's exciting to see us hit through the order."
The Aggies did just that and exploded in the top of the first for a quick five-run advantage. Freshman Lauren Schwirtlich started the game with a lead-off single before freshman Rhi Kliesing from third with a two-out, infield single. Orsak followed with a short, two-run single to center to score junior Macie Morrow and chase off the Tech starter, Ashly Jacobs.
"Getting off to that kind of start was huge," commented Evans. "It's especially fun as a visitor because you only have a handful of fans and what you notice most is the deafening silence. It was also really important because it helped Becca (Arbino) go out there with a lead and feel comfortable."
After a scoreless second and third, the Red Raiders' first two batters in the bottom of the fourth reached base and were sacrificed into scoring position. A two-out Aggie error allowed both Mikey Kenney and Raven Richardson to cross the plate for a 5-2 score.
Texas A&M answered in the top of the fifth as Orsak blasted a three-run homer to left with two outs. Spittler and Morrow were on base when the Aggie center fielder launched her second long ball of the year.
Emily Bledsoe put another run on the scoreboard for Tech by leading off the fifth with a solo shot to center. Logan Hall then tallied a doubled and advanced to third base on a groundout, but sophomore pitcher Rebecca Arbino retired the next batter, Richardson, for the final out of the inning.
Two A&M errors in the seventh put the first two Red Raiders on base and Hall singled to left to score Bledsoe for what would be Tech's last run of the game.
Arbino (19-9) earned the win in the circle after allowing four runs, only one earned, on seven hits, walking one and striking out three.
Jacobs (13-8) was saddled with her second loss of the weekend after just two-thirds innings of work. She gave up five runs on six hits, walked one and struck out one.
The Aggies return to the diamond next weekend, traveling to Stillwater, Okla., to face Oklahoma State for a two-game set.
"Rich Wieligman really has his team playing well, especially at home," Evans said. "We certainly have our work cut out for us going up there. It's going to be a tough challenge and will test our young players. I think this is going to be great for us to see that kind of competition on the road this late."
