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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 25, 1998)
IWednesday • February 25, 1998 The Battalion Sports aseball team Women’s team home to face Kansas St. ff to hot start BasebaU <A\$ I 1* ^ -J[ nViTis Ihe 15th-ranked Texas A&M Baseball Team is flying high at 11-2 but will get one of their toughest tests of the season this weekend as the fexasTech Red Raiders come to Olsen Field for a (iree-game set. The Aggies are off to one of their best larts in recent years but A&M, which has been rela- jvely untested this season will have to be at the top fit is game if the team is to remain hot. here’s The Pitch With an exception to a 17-3 loss to Ole Miss last |riday, the Texas A&M pitching staff has been very apressive in the early part of the season. What has hade the early success even more impressive is the tct that there were so many questions surrounding he staff coming in. Four pitchers from last year’s feam left to sign professional contracts and there (rere a multitude of off-season surgeries among the pturning players. The biggest off-season surgery centered around Jenior pitcher Ryan Rupe. Rupe was an all-Big 12 lerformer a season ago after posting an 8-2 record lith a career-high 63 strikeouts. However, he missed he end of the season and regionals due to blood pots. Rupe had a rib removed to allow for better cir- mlation into his pitching arm. He answered a lot of luestions on opening day, getting the win in a com- jined no-hitter against UT-Pan American. Coinci- lentally, one of the other pitchers who threw in that lame was junior Shane King who missed all of last leason after undergoing “Tommy John” surgery on pitching arm. The emergence of junior pitcher Matt Ward as a olid number-three starter has also been big for the Pggies. Ward, a transfer from Rancho Santiago Junior tollege in California, has been impressive in each of lis starts. None, however, were bigger than Sunday’s [-2 win over Ole Miss in extra innings. Ward went line innings, striking out seven Rebel batters to keep ]ie Aggies in the game. range You Glad You Came to Aggieland The Aggies may have finally found the closer they lave been searching for in the form of senior Eric french. While French is new to A&M this year, he is jyno means new to the Big 12. Last season, French as the closer for the University of Texas where he dthe nation in strikeouts per nine innings and lead ie Longhorns in saves with 10. A&M had only seven s a team and four of those came from sophomore itcher Casey Possum, whom the Aggies would much ther see in a starting role.French has compiled a 1- record with two saves through 13 games. feme is Where the Games Are The Aggies are in the middle of a stretch which rill see the team play 15 of 16 games at Olsen ield. A&M will not go on the road again until Mar. 3 when they travel to Stillwater, Okla. to face erennial power Oklahoma Sate. So far the Aggies e 4-1 at home. Over the past decade A&M has on about 80 percent of their home games, a umber that could prove big for A&M with Tech oming to town this weekend. By Philip W. Peter Staff writer The Texas A&M Women’s Basketball Team (7-17,3-11) faces Kansas State (10- 14, 4-10) Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the fi nal women’s home game played in G. Rollie White Coliseum. After beating the University ofTexas last week, A&M traveled to Texas Tech and de spite losing 77-65, they seem to be gaining momentum with contributions from eveiyone. Sophomore Kera Alexander said that is why they are starting to play better. “Everyone on our team has to do something each game," Alexander said. “If it’s not scoring, then we try to re bound or try to play defense and I think that is how everyone has to be. Wlien we start playing like that is when we start playing well and getting wins.” Sophomore forward Prissy Sharpe, whose playing time has been limited due to injury, said after a good showing in the last couple of home games, they are ending the season on a positive note. “It shows the team’s positive attribut es when you have players who can step up when someone gets hurt,” Sharpe said. “When you know that someone can pick up the slack, it’s a good feeling.” With only two games left before the Big 12 Conference Tournament in Kansas City, Mo., Texas A&M Coach Can- di Harvey is happy with the team’s play. “They’re starting to click,” Harvey said. “They’re starting to play well as a team and it couldn’t be happening at a better time. Hopefully we’ll be able to sustain that through tonight, Saturday and on to Kansas City.” Kansas State, which has lost seven of its last eight games, is coming off of a 78-47 loss to Oklahoma State. Sophomore Ang ie Finkes led Kansas State with a team- high 17 points and nine rebounds. Harvey said that Finkes is yet another in a long line of great post players in the Big 12, but is confident about defending against her. “We have made some adjustments as a coaching staff and as a team, with the way we defend the interior in the last few games,” Harvey said. “We’ve been pretty successful with it. We’ll come out and do the same thing and hopefully we’ll be able to keep some of their oth er players in check too.” For A&M center Kim Linder, the game will be extra special. Linder is the only senior on the A&M team, and said she is sad that her time at A&M is over. “I can’t believe it has gone by this fast,” Linder said. “It has been four years and it seems like yesterday I was playing my first game here.” However, Linder is not upset that she will not get to play in the new Reed Arena. “I thought I was going to get to play at least my senior year there,” Linder said. “But it’s kind of nice to go out here and be the last senior to play here. “I just want to end the season on a good note,” Linder said, “not just feeling good about how I’m playing, but about how the team as a whole is playing.” ^ 41 11 RYAN ROGERS/The Kera Alexander and the Aggies will their final home game against KSU. Battalion play Hard work keeps Alexander ahead of the game -4 : &', BRANDON BOLLOM/The Battalion Sophomore Kera Alexander takes a shot against Baylor. By Colby Martin Staff writer N o matter who you talk to about sophomore for ward Kera Alexander, one comment is always made about her — she is a hard worker. Team mates, coaches and fans alike are all adamant about the work ethic exhibited by the Texas A&M Women’s Basketball Team’s “spark plug.” “Kera is a blue-collar kid,” Coach Candi Harvey said. “I can’t remember one practice or game that she is not going all out.” Junior guard Kerri Patterson said she is also im pressed with the sophomore’s work ethic. “Plain and simple, Kera works hard every day,” Patterson said. Harvey said Alexander’s unique combination of de sire and talent makes her an asset to the team. “She gives her all whether she is coming off the bench or starting,” Harvey said. “When you put talent on top of that, you have a special player.” Alexander has had to adjust to a starting role this year, but said she has not let it affect her. “The only difference for me when I am starting is the fact that I have to be ready to go from the start,” Alexander said. “When I was coming off the bench I could sit and watch the flow of the game, but as a starter you are the one setting the tempo.” Alexander has been hot of late, but says her success is not as important as the team’s. “As a team we have really started to put it together the last two games against Texas and Tech,” Alexander said. “We beat Texas pretty well, and we played Tech extremely tough at their place.” Harvey describes Alexander as a player who puts the team first, not her personal goals. “Kera is one player that will scrap and hustle in every situation,” Harvey said. “She is a player that is not worried about just scoring.” Alexander attended Whitesboro High School where she excelled in everything she did. She was valedicto rian as well as a National Merit Scholar. Along with bas ketball, she also lettered in volleyball, cross country, track and field and tennis. She was the district’s bas ketball MVP her junior season, but a knee injury her senior year kept her from repeating. Please see Alexander on Page 10. Young guns step up for Texas A&M Softball Team the Softba^ iii* & ■■in ■Ill i Chris Ferrell is a sophomore journalism major T he Texas A&M Softball Team (11-3) continued to rack up the wins last weekend, posting victories over UTSA 4-0, New Mexico State 3-2 and Penn State 3-2 and 7-0 in the Aggie Invitational. Offensive Firepower The Aggies have put on a hitting clinic so far this season. They have out-hit their opponents by 53 points and have outscored their opponents 49 to 29. Freshman second baseman Rachel Lewis currently leads the team with a .333 batting average and a .333 slugging and on-base percentage. Freshman outfield er Tiffany Esters is second on the team with a. 324 batting average and on base percentage and leads the team with a .382 slugging percentage. The two have combined for 17 hits, 10 runs, five RBI and nine stolen bases so far. The Keys To Success When this season began, the main question for the Aggies was how their pitching staff, which is com posed of one sophomore and three freshmen, would handle the pressures of collegiate competition. So far, those questions have been answered. Freshman pitcher Ashley Lewis has been the most dominating, starting the season 5-0 with a 0.33 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 42.1 innings. In all five of her wins Lewis has gone the distance, in cluding two shutouts. Also, opponents are only hit ting .128 against her. Freshman pitcher Amy Vining is second on the team with a 3-0 record and a 2.02 ERA. Freshman closer Kristina Gandara leads the team with two saves to go along with a 1 -2 record and a 3.07 ERA. In all, the pitching staff has a 1.34 ERA, eight com plete games, 65 strikeouts and opponents are only batting .178 against them. For The Record During the Aggie Invitational Tournament last weekend, freshman outfielder Amy Lawler hit her first collegiate home run against Penn State in a 3-2 victory. Also, senior outfielder Tanya Klecker has five stolen bases this season and is only 10 away from tying the all-time career record of 45 held by JudyTrussell (1984-87). Next weekend, the Aggies will continue their tour nament play when they to Columbus, Ga., to partic ipate in the NFCA Tournament. — Robert Hollier is a junior journalism major iAaron Jack fills difficult role for men’s team By Colby Martin Staff writer Sometimes your life does not follow the path you expect it to. Different factors that arise can change the course of plans you have set out. No one knows this fact better Hi than Aaron Jack, a sophomore forward on the Texas A&M Men’s Basketball Team. Jack was born and raised in Tlilsa, Okla., but transferred to a prep school in Con necticut before his senior year of high school. T was a 6-foot-7-inch, 195-pound kid who needed to go to a school like Loomis Chaffee (the prep school) in order to play Division I basketball,” Jack said. The decision definitely paid off for Jack as he signed to play at Penn State. After being recruited mainly by eastern schools, Jack said attending Penn State was an easy choice for him. “Penn State was a great school, and I still have a lot of friends that go there,” Jack said. Jack ended up wanting to leave Happy Valley, but not because of any reasons such as homesickness or disagreements with the coach. After Penn State doctors would not clear him to play because of three concus sions he had suffered between December 1995 and October of 1996, Jack decided to take his talents elsewhere. Jack was cleared by three separate doc tors after making his decision to leave, so he decided to follow former Penn State Assis tant Coach Frank Haith to College Station. “Coach Haith knew my game and knew what I could do as a player,” Jack said. So after all of the road blocks and setbacks. Jack was an Aggie. Even though it has been tough, he said he does not regret his decision. “I love it here, the team is extremely close and we all would go to battle for each other,” Jack said. The 1998 season has offered one hard ship after another for Jack and the rest of the Aggies. After the loss of All-Big 12 forward Calvin Davis, Jack was forced into a more critical role for the team. He was thrown into the fire immediately and has performed bet ter than anyone could have expected. “I just tried to stay within myself, and do what I could to help us win,” Jack said. “Coach Barone stressed that with the loss of Calvin, somebody new was going to have to step up, and I just tried to do that.” However, Coach Tony Barone said Jack’s ability to step in and fill a starting role for the Aggies was no surprise to him. “Aaron is absolutely, totally fundamen tally sound,” Barone said. “He’s a guy who can pass, dribble and shoot.” Unfortunate circumstances led to Jack’s insertion in to the Aggies’ starting lineup, but he has made the most of the opportu nity and shown he deserves the spot. Be fore the season, Barone said that if Jack was not included in the Aggies’ starting five, that they will have an outstanding team be cause Jack is an outstanding player. Jack’s maturity and natural leadership abilities have been impressive this season for the Aggies. Jack said he has tried to pro vide some leadership on the court in the wake of the all of the Aggies’ injuries. “I try to be a calm influence on the court, especially with the loss of a talent like Calvin,” Jack said. Although the Aggies have endured a disappointing season, Jack said the Aggies have the talent when healthy to be a com petitive team in the Big 12. Jack knows what it takes to make it to the NCAA Tournament because he went to one while at Penn State. “We feel like we can win every one of our upcoming games,” Jack said. “We are not overmatched by any means. Once we get that first taste of winning a conference game, I think things will get easier.” *i§ Sill RYAN ROGERS/The Battalion Making the most of his opportunities, Aaron Jack has been a force in the Aggie lineup.