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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (March 26, 1985)
Page lOAThe Battalion/Tuesday, March 26, 1985 Ags to awake to sleeping giant Texas A&M’s ace pitcher Shawn Andaya re leases the ball to a Missouri batter during last week’s game against the Tigers. The Ags Photo by KARLA JAMES beat the Tigers 2-1. Andaya will get the nod in the first game of a double-header with SHSU Tuesday at 4 p.m. at the A&M Field. By CHAREAN WILLIAMS Assistant Sports Editor And on die seventh day, the Texas A&M softball team rested. After 10 straight days on the road and 23 straight road games to begin the season, the Aggies (19-6) had a coming home party a week ago when they hosted Missouri. That sure wasn’t the time to catch up on the shut-eye. Even though the Ags showed signs of weariness, they overcame the Tigers 2-1 and 9-0. Since that game on March 19, the Aggies have gotten a well deserved rest. “We all feel a lot better,” said A&M Head Coach Bob Brock. “We took a three-day weekend. I can see a difference in the girls already.” Characteristically, hitting luis been the Aggies’ biggest weakness and this year, so far at least, has been no different. In the Oklahoma Tournament against Missouri, the Ags left 17 run ners stranded in a 1-0 loss. The Ags, however, showed signs of improvment the next time the Ti gers came growling. “We haven’t been hitting the ball well,” Brock said. “The Missouri game had to help our confidence at the plate. Missouri was on a roll. I don’t think Missouri has ever been beaten 9-0, at least not while I’ve been here.” A&M still falls asleep at the plate ever so often, but Brock said he’s worked to correct the problems. “We just have to get rid of the little lulls at the plate,” he said. “We have a lack of offense sometimes which can happen to any fast pitch softball team. “When we do lose, that’s how we lose. We’re not going to give up the game in our pitching or defense. I Feel like I’ve done a lot to alleviate the problems at the plate.” If the problems at the plate con tinue to arise, substitutions might be come more frequent. “We need to do something about our hitting,” Brock said. “We’re a tougher team than that. If it means more substitutions, then we will do that. We have a fantistic 18-team ros ter. Any of the players on the bench can come in, and we won’t lose any thing defensively.” Sophomore ace Shawn Andaya will get the starting nod in the first ame of a double-header against am Houston Tuesday at 4 p.m. The second game will find either Karen Athanacio or Yvette Lopez on the Aggie Field mound. Lopez has been a real blessing for Brock and the Ag pitching staff. “Yvette Lopez has been pitching the way I felt she could pitch,” Brock said. “She has beaten everybody. She is one of the biggest improvements on our team. She’s just living up to her potential and getting better. “Added to Shawn, and Karen who hasn’t gotten to pitch as much, we have one of the better one-two punches in the nation. I think a lot of people felt relieved when Shawn wasn’t pitching last year. This year they’re worried about all of our pitchers.” The Ags got another boost when sophomore Judy Trussell success fully made the switch from shortstop to second base. This move allowed freshman Liz Mizera stay at her nat ural position. “Judy Trussell made a good tran sition,” Brock said. “She has done d real good job for us.” The Sam Houston Bearkats have been sleeping — sleeping giants that is. They are on a 15-game roll and looking to make it 16 if they can lull the Ags to sleep. “T hey are on a 15-game winning streak,” Brock said. “I figure they will be real fired up and I expect them to bring a lot of fans who will also be fired up. Sam is Sam. They are ranked one or two in Division II. They’re a scrappy team and they will be up for us since we beat them at the Mardi Gras Tournament. “I expect their winning streak to stop with two losses. We’re the kind of team that can do that.” Condon’s Ags find team unity By CHAREAN WILLIAMS Assistant Sports Editor The Texas A&M volleyball team has adopted a new theme song. “We are Family” seems to apply to Terry Condon’s Aggies just as it did to the World Champion Pittsburgh Pirates in 1979. “They play more as a unit than in the past,” Condon said. “They talk a lot more on the floor. They know each other real well. Each player does what she’s expected to do.” So far that team work has paid off just as it did for the Pirates. The Aggies won another USVBA tournament this past weekend. A&M captured the Houston Invita tional held at San Jacinto Junior Col lege by going 9-1 in pool play. Aspri, a team of Houston players, was the first to fall, followed by La mar’s Mr. Gatti’s team. In the semifinal match against Bud Light, a team of ex-Texas play ers, Condon finally found some thing to get upset about. “I was a little mad in the semifi nal,” she said. “We played real well the first game. The second game we lost bad — 15-0. I just want them to maintain some consistency. We had a little screaming contest. We still need some work on the mental as pect of our game.” Setter Lesha Beakley had the most consistent tournament. “Lesha had the best tournament,” Condon said. “She’s the only one that maintained the mental consis tency. She hit the tar off the ball which she really hasn’t done in the past.” Self-confidence is the reason be hind Beakley’s improvement, Con don said. “(Self-confidence) was the only thing she needed,” Condon said. “She has that now. She knows she’s in charge now. When the spikers yell at her, she sluffs it off. Nothing seems to faze her. “I think she’s one of the best set ters in the (Southwest) conference. Her role is to lead the team and she does it well. She’s our quarterback.” You can’t overlook the play of the three “new” players. The Ags lost two starters from last year’s 33-4 team, but three of last year’s back ups have filled the holes nicely. A&M’s Lesha Beakley Stacey Smith, Michelle Whitwell and Stacey Gildner have done their share of damage to opposing teams. “Stacey Smith has come a long way,” Condon said. “She’s been play ing good defense and has teen thinking. She’s going to hold her own next year. “Gildner has A sore shoulder that has hurt her hitting, so we have sub stituted Michelle in for her. Michelle is doing well.” And of course the ever-present and steady as a rock players, Sherri Brinkman and Margaret Spence, could be counted on in the clutch. “I didn’t think Sherri was quite as dominating as usual,” Condon said. “We were down 14-8 against Hous ton and she decided she was going to play. Houston didn’t score another point after that. She blocked every thing. I think that’s the best I’ve seen her play, but overall it wasn’t one of her best days. “Margaret was her old normal self. She tried out for the Sports Fes tival on Sunday, and she was really tired. I still think she’s one of the best players in the South.” Going into the spring season, Condon was hoping to get six Ags playing together. She was expecting a transition from last fall’s team to the current team. What she got was something better — perhaps better than last fall’s No. 15 team. “They’re doing a lot better than I dreamed,” Condon said. “With the changes in the lineup, I didn’t think we’d be this consistent. I sure didn't expect us to win any tournaments, They have jelled. I am very pleased with the progress.” Tuesday March 26 5p. m> . 10p m Select Shorts ) $.95-$4.00 J Sale on ALL Clothing, Caps and Gift Items SHOP AND SAVE!!! TWO CONVENIENT LOCATIONS 340 Jersey Across from University Police K 901 Harvey Rd. In the Woodstone Center 764-3969 WcnM's introduces more with less. 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