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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (April 7, 1997)
The Battalion Page 5 Monday • April 7, 1997 ggies pick up first sweep of season &M's explosive offense propels them to .500 in conference By Chris Ferrell The Bait align V With all apologies to Jim Carrey, the Texas A&M Rseball Team is “smokin’.” ■ The Aggies, winners of 11 of their last 13 games, picked up their first Big 12 sweep Sunday afternoon wiili a 8-7 win over Iowa State. I "We’re two games above .500 now in confer- ■ice,” freshman pitcher Casey Possum said. “We re- ■y needed that, and it’s going to get our momen- fBm going. We’ve got a streak going and hopefully Me can keep it.” M Shortstop Rich Petru knocked in junior second baseman Brian Benefield in the bottom of the | 'ninth to give A&M the one-run win. The RBI capped off a big day for the senior co-captain, iwlio also drove in freshman third baseman Sean Derek Demere, The Battalion Junior Brian Benefield makes it safely to first base in the Aggie's game against ISU Saturday afternoon. Heaney in the first inning. “Benefield got a double and right then, I knew we were going to win the game,” Petru said. “Whether it was [freshman designated hitter] Pat [Malone] or me and they walked Pat. I knew that guy was going to come right at me. “I had a 2-0 count and I said, T’m swinging at this pitch if it’s right there,’ and it was. I didn’t hit it that good but it worked.” For Petru, the game-winning hit prolonged his re cent hot streak. After a midseason slump, he is at the top of his game once again. “There’s no secret I’ve been struggling a lot here for a while,” Petru said. “But 1 feel really good right now. The hits are starting to fall. Hopefully, I can just keep it going and finish out the year like this.” The Aggie batters as a whole were red-hot this weekend, shelling Cyclone pitchers throughout the series. In Game 1 of Saturday’s doubleheader, A&M racked up 22 hits as they defeated ISU 19-4. Senior first baseman Jason Stephens led the as sault, going 4-for-5 with four RBIs and two runs scored. Petru, Malone, senior rightfielder Johnny Hunter, and freshman leftfielder Steven Truitt each had three RBIs in the win. Junior pitcher Ryan Rupe started a trend, which all Aggie starters followed, going the distance and picking up the victory. In Game 2, junior left-hander Matt Blank had a career-high and A&M season-high 16 strikeouts to lead the Aggies to a 5-4 decision over the Cyclones. Freshman third baseman Sean Heaney stole home in the sixth inning to provide the winning run. Possum returned to the starting rotation Sun day and turned in a complete game of his own. He struck out nine batters, including four of the last six of the game. “I knew the wind was blowing in,” Possum said. “So I could go right at them without having to wor ry about giving up the long ball. I threw a lot more fastballs than I have been. I should be throwing more fastballs then sliders.” Possum had been filling the role of closer over the past few weeks in an attempt to add strength to the bullpen. He said he was happy to be back in the starting rotation. “It kind of felt weird going out there and starting a game,” Possum said. “I’m used to getting ready in six pitches and I was pretty much warm after six pitches, but it’s been an experience coming out of the pen. I was glad I got the start so I could get some more innings in.” Head Coach Mark Johnson said he was glad the team won, but not happy with the team’s mental ap proach in Sunday’s afternoon game. “I was really disappointed, [it was] probably as poor of a mental game as we’ve played for a long time,” Johnson said. “We just didn’t take charge on some pop-ups and threw to the wrong base a couple of times. I think I kind of lowered their excitement level some after the game. It was good to get a win [and] it was good to get a sweep. We’re excited about that [because] it keeps the run going. “We still have some games in front of us here at home so we just have to keep making hay. The Tues day games are important right now because we need W’s, and then we’ve got Nebraska coming in. I was pleased we swept, I was disappointed in some of our play today.” Derek Demere, The Battalion junior Brian Benefield slides safely into home plate against the Iowa State Cyclones Saturday afternoon at Olsen Field. ggies finish strong at Texas Relays he Aggie 400-meter relay n team took over national lead f Staff and Wire Report ■ AUSTIN — The Texas A&M men’s 400-meter relay team high- \oMf8 hted A&M Track; and Field Team’s final day at the 70th an- yM ua l Texas Relays in Austin this weekend. The relay team of Mike Price, Toya Jones, Billy Fobbs and Dan- jy McCray finished first and took over the national lead in the |vent with a time of 39.04. The 39.04 time is an NCAA automatic qualifier and the fastest |yan Aggie quartet since 1990. It marked the first time since 1980 Tat A&M won the event at the Texas Relays. A&M Head Coach Ted Nelson said the time showed what kind ^of relay team the Aggies have. “I thought Mike Price ran a really fast leg, but Billy Fobbs was the |ne who opened it up for us,” Nelson said. “I also thought Danny IcCray did a great job of holding off a really fast group of runners. “As important as the time we ran was that we beat LSU, which |vere the national leaders coming into the race. We had a lot of pres- ure because we have three underclassmen (Price, Jones and : obbs) on the relay. But we competed with the chips down and that hows what kind of team we have.” Senior hurdler Anjanette Kirkland also had a big day, finishing econd to defending NCAA champion Tiffany Lott of BYU in the 100-meter hurdles. Lott took nearly a five-meter lead after a light- jiing-quick start, but Kirkland rebounded to pull even at the final llurdle. Lott leaned to victory with a time of 13.04 with Kirkland [just behind at 13.05. “Anjanette had a poor start and Lott had a really good start,” Nel son said. “After the start, Anjanette ran super and got beat by the lean. Both times were really fast. Every once in a while Anjanette starts poorly, but she always comes on fast at the end. There’s no question that Lott and Kirkland are favorites for the NCAA title.” Kirkland said she could not tell if she beat Lott. “From the photo finish, I couldn’t tell if I beat her, but I’ll give [her this race because I’ll see her again at NCAAs,” Kirkland said. Sophomore Kelli Schrader shattered the old women's school record /vith a 166-3 toss to place fifth in the discus. Schrader’s throw eclipsed he 16-year-old record of 164-9 set byVickilee Cobern in 1981. Schrad er now owns seven of the top eight discus throws in school history. | The Lady Aggie 400-meter relay team of Donyale Canada, Kirk land, April King and Detrich Clariett finished fifth with a time of |14.95, just shy of their season best. Aggie freshman Travis Grasha nabbed a fifth place finish in the javelin with a throw of 215-4 in his first Relays. Junior hurdler Larry Wade, who was disqualified from the pre lims of University 110-meter hurdles Friday, was given a second bhance Saturday when an Invitational division of the event was formed. Wade finished second with a time of 13.84. Rogge Heflin, The Battalion Senior hurdler Anjanette Kirkland hops over the last hurdle against Texas March 29 at the Frank G. Anderson Track Complex. Sophomore Mike Lowrance had an outdoor career best of 57- 4.75 to finish seventh in the shot put. The men’s 1,600-meter relay team of Derrick Woods, Price, Jo han Lannefors and McCray took fifth place with a time of 3:05.84 to finish A&M’s day at the Texas Relays. The Aggies will host the Texas A&M Invitational this weekend at the Frank G. Anderson Track Complex. The road to nationals Derek Demere, The Battalion junior Jon Rye blocks the ball in game three of the final round against Texas Tech University at G. Rollie White Coliseum Saturday afternoon. mentum going into the national tourna ment by winning the SIVA Conference Championships at G. Rollie White Colise um this weekend. The Aggies defeated Sam Houston State University 15-2, 15-10 in the first round. A&M then defeated the University of Texas en route to the finals, 15-10,15-11. The Aggies faced Texas Tech Universi ty in the finals. A&M defeated the Red Raiders in straight sets, 17-16, 15-6 and 15-10. The Aggies will travel to the University of Arizona in Tucson, Ariz., April 17-19 for the national championships. ► The men's volleyball club team battled its way to the SIVA Con ference title this week end at G. Rollie White. By Kristina Buffin The Battalion The ninth-ranked Texas A&M Men’s Club Volleyball Team picked up some mo- Love Makes F amily A photo exhibit during Gay Awareness Week April 7 - 11 10ain - 3pm MSC Flagroom Student Life Sponsored by: The Department of Student Life The Gay Lesbian Bisexual Aggies TAMU Women’s Studies Parents Friends and Family of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) The Rainbow Christians Friends Congregational Church The Just Peace Institute The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship KEOS radio ALLIES The Department of Multicultural Services The MSC Visual Arts Committee TUXEDO RENTALS from $49.95 FREE SHOES * FREE VEST L ADIES &TO “Bridal dr Tuxedo” At The Texas Avenue Entrance of A&M Open Weeknights Until 7 P.M.
