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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (May 28, 2001)
Monday, May 28, 2001 Page 3 day 28,2001 LUTE IVOT S£ no/O- ^ kuaJt. i rz&L m Adrian e Employee ECC). ci pants , its charity jj formation 01 Campaign Sports THE BATTALION Baseball team falls short in Big 12 tourney FILE PHOTO/The Battalion Second baseman Ty Garner applies the tag to Nebraska's John Cole as Shortstop Ryan Wardinsky looks on during a game at Olsen Field this spring. By Mark Passwaters T/je Battalion Entering die Phillips 66 Big 12 baseball tourna ment in Oklahoma City, the Texas A&M baseball team would need to win the tournament’s champi onship or a miracle to advance into the NCAA tour nament. It got neidier but came painfully close in ad vancing to the Championship Game against top seed and No. 1 ranked Nebraska before being sent home. Game 1: Texas A&M-9, Texas-8 The sixth-seeded Aggies were the surprise of the tournament, and the surprises started before the first pitch was thrown. A&M head coach Mark Johnson decided to start freshman Kyle Parcus — who had started only five games and no conference games — against the third-seeded Longhorns and their ace Gerrit Simpson, who had thrown 10 innings against the Aggies in a 4-3 loss on May 4. The ace on this day was Parcus, who held the Longhorns scoreless for six innings while the Aggies hammered Simpson in his less than three innings of work. The Aggies grabbed a 1 -0 lead in the top of the first when left fielder Neal Stephenson doubled home designated hitter Eric Shindewolf on a shot to center field that Texas center fielder Kalani Napoleon fell down chasing after. In the second, the Aggies looked like they were prepared to let another scoring opportunity slip away when catcher Rusty Meyer lined into a double play after the first two hitters had singled. Third baseman Greg Porter poppied to short left field, but left field er Ben King and shortstop Eddie Romprey watched it fall between them, letting A&M shortstop Ryan Wardinsky score from second. An flustered Simpson then made a mistake to center fielder David Evans, who launched a hanging slider into the left field bullpen. “[Simpson] threw the same pitch right be fore,” Evans said. “I knew something was up. I made him pay.” The Aggies were able to stretch their lead to 5-0 after Schindewolf singled, was balked to second and first baseman Jeff Freeman hit a ball to left that King misplayed, allowing Schindewolf to score. The Aggies chased Simpson in the third after right fielder Ben Himes singled, scoring second baseman Ty Garner. The Longhorns turned to freshman Eugene Espeneli, who gave up three un earned runs in the fifth to make the score 9-0. At this point, closer Chris Russ began throwing in the Ag- i gie bullpen. “I figured we would (10) run rule them, and I wanted to get a quick bullpen (session) in,” ; Russ said after the game. Russ would quickly find himself on the field instead of the bullpen, as the Longhorn bats came to life in the seventh. A tiring Parcus and freshman Robert Ramsey gave up eight runs while getting only two outs. “I was going crazy in the outfield,” Himes said. Russ came in with the bases loaded, struck out Longhorn second baseman Tim Moss to end die in ning and did not allow a base runner for the next two innings. “Chris Russ did what he’s done for four years,” Johnson said. “He shut the, door.” Game 2: Texas A&M-8, Texas Tech-6 The Aggies next faced a Texas Tech team that had swept them in Lubbock and had already crushed Ok lahoma, 17-5. Instead of collapsing under the weight of the Red Raiders’ heavy-hitting lineup, the Aggies hit right back For the second straight day, the Aggies scored first. Evans doubled to start the bottom of the first, and was driven home when Shindewolf also doubled. The Ag gies touched Tech starter Chris Phillips for another run in the second on Meyer’s homer down the left field line. Tech took a 3-2 lead in the third on a diree-run homer by left fielder Jason Rainey. After giving up an other run in the fourth, Johnson relieved starter Justin Moore with Steven Ponder, who shut down die Red Raider offense. For the next three innings, Ponder gave up only one hit while striking out five, walking three and hitting two batters. While Ponder held Tech in check, the Aggies tied the game in die fifth and took the lead in the sixth when Meyer hit a sacrifice fly that scored second baseman Gamer, who had led off the inning widi a double. Texas A&M broke the game open in die sev enth, scoring four runs off of Phillips and two reliev ers, all with two outs. Texas Tech rallied for two runs in the eighth, but Johnson once again turned to Russ, who retired each of the four batters he faced. After the game, Tech coach Larry Hays praised the performance of Ponder and Russ, saying, “They did a good job... they made some pitches and froze us bit. With their velocity and stuff, that’s an adventure.” Johnson called the seventh inning rally “huge ... Sit uational hitting has been our nemesis.” Game 3: Texas A&M-10, Oklahoma-1 The Aggies got a surprise Saturday when it became clear die Oklahoma Sooners would be the opponent in between them and a chance at a tournament tide. OU had defeated Texas and Texas Tech on back-to- back days. The Aggies had a surprise of their own in starting freshman left hander Chris French, a move that had Oklahoma coach Larry Cochell juggling his lineup 15 minutes before the game. Cochell started junior Austin Mix, who had pitched four innings of relief against Texas two days before. Johnson hoped that French would cause trouble with Oklahoma’s most ly left-handed lineup; Cochell hoped that Mix would have enough left to keep the game close. Johnson’s gamble worked. Cochell’s did not. “It was a heck of a ballgame in die first, second, fourth, fifth, sixdi, seventh, eighth and ninth innings,” Cochell said. He left out the third inning, and with good reason. That was when every member of die A&M starting lineup scored a run before diere was an out. Evans started the festivities with his second homer of the tournament, but die trouble was just beginning for Mix. He faced another five batters without retiring any before being pulled with the bases loaded in la- vor of Michael Bradbury. Bradbury’s first pitch be came a three-run double by Himes. Bradbury could not get out aiiy of the diree Aggjes he faced, leaving Brandon Hanlons to end the carnage. After the nine- run, 10-hit barrage, the game was effectively over, as the Sooners could not find an answer for French. French dominated Oklahoma for eight innings be fore finally running out of gas. “I didn’t think I would go diat far,” French said, “but I really wanted to fin ish it out. I knew I needed to get out, but diat’s all right.” Johnson was effusive in his praise for French. “Chris French stepped right out and gave us a big jolt,” Johnson said. When asked about playing in the championship game, Neal Stephenson said the team’s feeling was “confidence, that’s for sure ... the baseball gods are watching us.” Championship Game: Nebraska-7, Texas A&M-4 Texas A&M’s run to Sunday’s championship game made them the Cinderella of the tournament. The Nebraska Comhuskers do not like fairy tales. Led by Tournament MVP Dan Johnson’s two See Tournament on Page 6. Lolds ourt / D R ... hits the right note for hundreds of satisfied customers and businesses. Your ads pre-sale your customers and bring them to your business ready to buy. Tm BATTALION Retail: 845-2696 Classified: 845-0569 WHERE THERE'S HURT THERE'S HOPE POST ABORTION PEER COUNSELING ♦ Peer Grief Counseling ♦ Help for Symptoms of Abortion Trauma ♦ 10-week Recovery Program ♦ Emotional & Spiritual Support ♦ Free & Confidential Jlofie Pn&j*taHC4f, GetUend* Call and ask for the PACE (Post Abortion Counseling & Education) Director. /IQnrO'l QQ 2 05 Brentwood • College Station I JS <5 www.hopepregnancy.org howdy.tamu.edu uminal A STUDENT COUNSELING SERVICE Texas A&M University Groups for Summer 2001 at the Student Counseling Service Part of the Division of Student Affairs Henderson Hall 979/845-4427 www.scs.tamu.edu Multicultural Issues & Relationships Group Monday 5:00 - 6:30 PM The purpose of this group is to increase awareness of mul ticultural issues and improve communication and self-con fidence when dealing with multicultural relationships. Group topics may include, but are not limited to, cultural shock; cultural religious, and social differences; and bi-cul- tural/multicultural relationship issues. This is open to all students. Facilitators: Gisela Lin & Amanda Samson Biofeedback Workshop Mondays 5:00 - 6:30 PM One-session workshops that give an introduction to relax ation techniques, including how biofeedback aids in relax ation. Individual follow-up consultation is available. Facilitator: Steve Wilson Interpersonal Growth & Exploration Group Tuesday 3:00 - 4:30 PM This psychotherapy group is for students who desire to live more authentically with themselves and relate more gen uinely with others. Group members will be helped to explore self-limiting life patterns and share themselves with others through honest self-disclosure in a safe, supportive atmosphere. Facilitators: Sarah Haley & Nancy Stebbins Empowering Yourself Group Wednesday 3:00 - 4:30 PM A group for women and men with sexual molestation in their pasts. Identifying and exploring aftereffects of abuse will be the focus. Dealing with relationships, building self esteem, and gaining power are emphasized. Facilitators: Robert Carter & Nancy Welch Non-Traditional Women’s Group Wednesday 5:00 - 6:30 PM This therapy group for women 23+allows each member to enter the group with her own unique issues and share, process and problem solve within a group context. This group can help individuals who are wanting to develop healthier ways of dealing with the stress of school and work, relationships, personal problems and family issues. When we begin to talk more honestly with others, we can often find new ways to deal with the problems we face. Facilitators: Amanda Samson & Cindy Peveto Dissertation/Thesis Support Group Wednesdays 5:00 - 6:30 PM This group is for students who are struggling with the process of writing a thesis or dissertation. Group topics include issues of competence, procrastination, anxiety, goal setting, and bureaucratic struggles. Facilitator: Brian Williams Texas A&M University has a strong institutional com mitment to the principle of diversity in all areas. In that spirit, admission to Texas A&M University and any of its sponsored programs is open to all qualified individuals without regard to any subgroup classifica tion or stereotype. Better Ingredients • Better Pizza Monday Special 1 I Jl DTE 1 1T °pp in & pizza li/iiiuL Every Monda y Tuesday Special #1 I A nrr 1 Topping Pizzas Lunch or Dinner no limit Pick-up only Pick-up or Deliver IMorthgate Post Oak Square Center Bryan 601 University Dr. 100 Harvey Rd., Suite D 3414 East 29th St. 979-846-3600 979-764-7272 979-268-7272