Gibson Leads No. 5 Aggies Past Huskers

Lincoln ? All-American Megan Gibson tossed a three-hit shutout and hit a two-run home run to lead fifth-ranked Texas A&M to a 6-0 victory over the Nebraska softball team on Saturday afternoon at Bowlin Stadium.

 

The win moved league-leading Texas A&M (44-7, 15-1 Big 12) one win closer to its second Big 12 regular-season title. Nebraska fell to 19-24 overall with the loss and 1-11 in conference play.

 

Gibson was stellar offensively and defensively. In the circle, Gibson (28-1) struck out 13 while recording her Big 12-leading 14th shutout of the season. At the plate, Gibson finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBIs and reached safely in each of her four plate appearances. With Gibson leading the way, Texas A&M plated six runs on 10 hits, despite stranding 11 runners.

 

Junior right-hander Molly Hill (9-13) suffered the loss, allowing five runs (four earned) on six hits in four-plus innings of work. Sophomore right-hander Alex Hupp surrendered one run on three hits in two innings of work, while freshman Tori Tyson escaped a bases-loaded jam to pitch a scoreless seventh inning.

 

Texas A&M got the scoring started early, loading the bases with one out in the first on a single, a walk and an error. Holly Ridley then brought home the game’s first run with an RBI ground out.

 

The Aggies added another run in the top of the third when Jamie Hinshaw ripped a one-out double to score Gibson.

 

Gibson, the Big 12 Conference career home run leader, ripped a 2-0 offering for a two-run home run to kick start A&M’s three-run fifth inning. Ridley then added her second RBI of the game with a double to right that put the Aggies in front, 5-0.

 

Texas A&M tallied another run in the sixth on an RBI single from Macie Morrow.

 

The Huskers had just three hits in the game, led by sophomore Whitney Barrett's 2-for-2 performance. Barrett recorded a multi-hit game for the second time in three contests, while freshman Kelli Linke added Nebraska's other hit.

 

Nebraska and Texas A&M wrap up the series on Sunday at Noon.

Box Score Nebraska Softball #5 Texas A&M at Nebraska Apr 26, 2008 at Lincoln, Neb. (Bowlin Stadium)

Texas A&M 6 (44-7,15-1 Big 12)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Morrow, Macie ss......... 4 0 1 1 0 2 1 1 1 Schroeder, Bailey ph.... 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 Villarreal, Natalie 2b... 4 2 2 0 1 1 2 0 3 Gibson, Megan p.......... 3 2 2 2 1 0 0 2 0 Tovar, Andrea pr........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Hinshaw, Jamie 3b........ 3 1 2 1 1 0 2 0 0 Ridley, Holly rf......... 4 0 1 2 0 1 1 0 3 Reynolds, Alex dp........ 2 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 Glasco, Erin c........... 4 0 0 0 0 1 13 0 2 Lobpries, Jami cf........ 3 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 Spittler, Kelsey lf...... 3 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 Kliesing, Rhiannon 1b.... 1 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 Totals................... 31 6 10 6 7 7 21 3 11

Nebraska 0 (19-24,1-11 Big 12)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB ------------------------------------------------------ Rutherford, Darcy lf..... 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Mullin, Meghan cf........ 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 Carwile, Crystal 1b...... 3 0 0 0 0 3 9 0 0 Guile, Ashley c.......... 2 0 0 0 1 2 7 0 0 Liegl, Sammi pr......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Linke, Kelli dp.......... 3 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 Long, Haley rf........... 3 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 1 Brechtel, Julie 2b....... 2 0 0 0 0 2 1 3 1 Foland, Heidi 3b......... 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Barrett, Whitney ss...... 2 0 2 0 0 0 2 3 0 Hill, Molly p............ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Hupp, Alex p............ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Tyson, Tori p........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals................... 23 0 3 0 1 13 21 9 3

Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Texas A&M........... 101 031 0 - 6 10 0 Nebraska............ 000 000 0 - 0 3 1 -----------------------------------------

E - Foland(12). DP - Huskers 1. LOB - Aggies 11; Huskers 3. 2B - Hinshaw 2(12); Kliesing(3). HR - Gibson(13). SB - Lobpries 2(10); Liegl(1).

Texas A&M IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Gibson, Megan....... 7.0 3 0 0 1 13 23 24 89

Nebraska IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP -------------------------------------------------- Hill, Molly......... 4.0 6 5 4 4 5 19 23 86 Hupp, Alex.......... 2.0 3 1 1 1 2 8 9 39 Tyson, Tori......... 1.0 1 0 0 2 0 4 6 35

Win - Gibson (28-1). Loss - Hill (9-13). Save - None. PB - Glasco(11). Pitches/strikes: Gibson 89/67; Hill 86/49; Hupp 39/23; Tyson 35/18. Umpires - HP: Mike D'Ercole 1B: Steve McCown 3B: Matt Titkemier Start: 12:35 pm Time: 2:25 Attendance: 427 Game: livegame