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Aggies blow past McNeese State

By ROBERT CESSNA
Eagle Sports Writer

Amanda Scarborough is still cleaning up for Texas A&M, even though she no longer bats cleanup.

Scarborough had four runs batted in Sunday at the Texas A&M Invitational to lead the No. 4-ranked Aggies to an 11-3 victory over the McNeese State Cowgirls at the Aggie Softball Complex.

A&M (19-2) won all five games in the three-day tournament, using late-inning heroics to beat Syracuse on Friday and Illinois on Saturday.

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Buy this photo Eagle Photo/Gabriel Chmielewski McNeese State catcher Rachel King tags out Texas A&M's Kristine Test at home in the Aggies' 11-3 win Sunday afternoon at the Aggie Softball Complex.

There was little suspense Sunday, even though McNeese (9-18) stayed close until A&M scored four runs in the fifth. The Aggies ended it via the run-rule on freshman Bailey Schroeder's sixth-inning home run.

Schroeder, an all-stater at A&M Consolidated, was 6-for-16 batting in the tournament with three homers and seven RBIs, but the big bats in A&M's lineups were Scarborough and Megan Gibson, who hit in the No. 4 spot.

A&M flipped the batting spots for Gibson and Scarborough on Wednesday at Sam Houston State.

"We just felt like we needed to get someone who is going to have some consistency behind Gibson," A&M head coach Jo Evans said. "We also felt like with Gibson, the way she's hitting the ball, she can hit it out. You want her to get up in the first inning."

A&M's first three batters, all left-handers, have a knack for reaching base and causing havoc. Sharonda McDonald has a .429 on-base average, Macie Morrow .638 and Jamie Hinshaw .397. The trio are 41 of 44 in stolen bases with 64 runs.

They've been busier since the swap.

Gibson was 3 for 3 against Sam Houston State with two home runs, while Scarborough settled into the No. 5 spot this weekend.

Scarborough is 7 for 15 since the switch, jumping her batting average 49 points to .328. She hit two home runs with 11 RBIs.

"As a coaching staff we made the decision, thinking that it's in our best interest to make sure [Scarborough] hits behind [Gibson], and she's going to get some pitches to hit," Evans said.

Scarborough had an RBI single in the first, then hit a two-run triple in the fifth to make it 8-3.

"I love the way she's swinging the bat," Evans said. "She feels good about herself. And she's key for us, because we know teams are going to try to pitch around Gibson. Now, they have to go face Scarborough."

Last year Scarborough batted .305 with five homers and 27 RBIs. She opened the season batting third, dropped to fifth 10 games into the season, then settled into the cleanup spot three games later. McDonald, Hinshaw and Gibson batted in front of her.

Scarborough batted fifth much of her freshman season, hitting .405 with 11 home runs and 43 RBIs.

"I didn't really think much about it," Scarborough said. "Megan's been hitting the ball better than I have, and getting more home runs, and would be noted more as a cleanup hitter, so I thought it was a great switch.

"It took a little bit of pressure off me, and I can back her up when they walk her."

Gibson, who is closing on the school career record for home runs and walks, is 7 of 13 since the switch. She's also hit four home runs with nine RBIs, doubling her season totals in those categories.

She's raised her batting average 22 points to .479 and remains selective, walking six times in the last six games. She also frustrates pitchers who work the outside corner to limit her power.

The right-hander's lone hit Sunday was a line-drive triple into the right-field corner. Her home run in Friday's 2-1 victory over Syracuse was a liner over the right-field fence.

Scarborough (8-2) was Sunday's winning pitcher, even though she allowed two runs in the first inning for the third straight time. McNeese had three hits and was helped by Hinshaw's error at third base.

NOTES - It was a sloppy game with four errors, three by A&M, but two defensive lapses cost the Cowgirls dearly. McDonald scored A&M's first run on a popup by Gibson to Cowgirl second baseman Brodhead. The ball didn't even make the outfield grass, but the strong wind forced Brodhead to make the catch facing the foul line. She turned and made an accurate throw, McDonald easily slid into home plate. Scarborough followed with a two-out RBI infield single. A&M also scored three runs in the third with two outs. ... Morrow had a two-out, two-run single in the fifth. That came after McNeese's lone error. Relief pitcher Cori Bram put herself in trouble with three walks and a hit batter. ... Gibson, who pitches and plays first, made her first collegiate start in the outfield in left field. The triples by juniors Scarborough and Gibson were the first of their careers. ... Scarborough said extra batting practice also has helped her recent hot streak. ... A&M has homered in eight straight games. The Aggies, who have 25 homers, hit only 10 in the first 13 games. ... Illinois beat Syracuse, 12-7, in Sunday's other game to finish second at 3-2. McNeese and Syracuse were each 1-4. ... Senior reliever Lisa Gorzycki has not allowed an earned run in five appearances.