Four-run Eighth Beats No. 19 Aggies

PROVO -- Thanks to an eighth inning four-run offensive explosion, BYU (11-4) beat No. 19 Texas A&M, 5 -3, winning the first game of four the Cougars will play at the Texas A&M Invitational.

"We really played well today and I am really proud with how we fought there in the end," said BYU head coach Gordon Eakin. "We need to continue to play hard and compete at this level for the rest of our season."

 

This impressive win is the Cougars' first over a ranked team this season. The last time BYU beat a nationally ranked team was on March 7, 2009 when they cleanly beat No. 7 California 4-0.

The game would not have gone into extra innings if Angie Quiocho had not hit a single-run homer in the fourth which tied the score at one a piece.

"Angie was lights out from the plate tonight and seemed to be the catalysts of every offensive play," Eakin said. "She is really focused and dialed in when she's at bat. She is definitely turning out to be a strong silent leader for this team. She leads with her example and effort she puts into every game."

With the game tied, both teams threatened to score several times but were not able to put points on the board.

Right-handed pitcher Paige Affleck was fantastic from the mound as she displayed her arsenal of pitches, keeping the Aggies off balanced. Her change-up/fast ball combination was on point all night and her stats definitely showed it.

"Texas A&M is a tough team and Paige did a great job holding at to only three hits," Eakin said. "Her pitch placement is has really improved and all her hard work in practice is starting to show."

Affleck faced a total of 34 batters only gave up four hits, struck out seven batters and walked five.

In the top of the eighth inning, the Cougars went to work offensively.

Because J.C. Clayton was the last BYU out in the seventh inning, she started on second base as extra-inning rules state.

Tiffany Messerschmidt was first at bat, and advanced Clayton to third off a sacrificed bunt. After Kristin Delahoussaye walked, Quiocho stepped up and blasted a base hit right down the middle bringing Clayton home.

With runners on first and second, Jessica Fitu shot a base to centerfield which allowed Delahoussaye to score. Andie Ramirez grounded out at first, but advanced Quiocho and Fitu to third and second base respectively.

Jessica Dugas brought home Quiocho off a base hit down the third base line, and Amanda Kellum hit a single to center sending Fitu home.

The top of the inning finished with BYU ahead 5-1. No. 19 Texas A&M answered with two runs of its own, but was unable to tie or retake the lead in the end.

Quiocho had a great night as each of her at bats ended with her getting on base. She had three hits including a game-tying home run in the fourth, a double in the first and a single in the eighth. She also walked in the sixth.

Fitu and Kellum both had two base hits, and Delahoussaye and Dugas each had one base hit as well.

BYU returns tomorrow to play its first doubleheader against Monmouth at 12:15 p.m. (CT) and No 19 Texas A&M at 5:15 p.m. (CT).

Live stats and audio can be found at www.byucougars.com.

 

BYU at #19 Texas A&M

Mar 04, 2010 at College Station, TX (Aggie Softball Complex)

BYU 5 (11-4)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB

------------------------------------------------------

CLAYTON, J.C. ss......... 4 1 0 0 0 2 0 6 2

MESSERSCHMIDT, Tiff. lf.. 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

DELAHOUSSAYE,Kristin 2b.. 3 1 1 0 1 1 3 4 0

QUIOCHO, Angeline 3b..... 3 2 3 2 1 0 2 1 0

PURCELL-FITU, Jess. c.... 4 1 2 1 0 1 8 0 0

RAMIREZ, Andrea 1b....... 4 0 0 0 0 0 8 0 2

HUDSON, Alexandra cf..... 2 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 0

DUGAS, Jessica pr....... 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0

VANCE-KELLUM, Amanda dh.. 4 0 2 1 0 1 0 0 2

WILLARD, Delaney rf...... 3 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 2

AFFLECK, Paige p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0

Totals................... 31 5 9 5 3 9 24 12 8

Texas A&M 3 (13-4)

Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB

------------------------------------------------------

Morrow ss................ 4 0 0 0 0 1 3 3 0

Spittler lf.............. 3 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 0

May c.................... 2 0 0 0 2 0 10 0 0

Tovar pr................ 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Kliesing p............... 3 0 0 0 1 2 0 3 0

Reynolds 1b.............. 3 0 0 1 0 0 11 0 4

Shannon rf............... 4 1 1 0 0 2 0 0 0

Dumezich 2b.............. 3 0 1 0 1 0 0 2 1

Orsak cf................. 2 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0

Schwirtlich 3b........... 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 3

Arbino dh................ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Totals................... 27 3 4 2 5 7 24 12 8

Score by Innings R H E

------------------------------------------

BYU................. 000 100 04 - 5 9 2

Texas A&M........... 010 000 02 - 3 4 0

------------------------------------------

E - DELAHOUSSAYE(2); RAMIREZ(2). LOB - BYU 8; Texas A&M 8. 2B - QUIOCHO(8);

Spittler(4). HR - QUIOCHO(3). SH - MESSERSCHMID(1); WILLARD(2); Orsak(2). SF

- Reynolds(1).

BYU IP H R ER BB SO AB BF

-----------------------------------------------

AFFLECK, Paige...... 8.0 4 3 1 5 7 27 34

Texas A&M IP H R ER BB SO AB BF

-----------------------------------------------

Kliesing............ 8.0 9 5 4 3 9 31 36

Win - AFFLECK (7-3). Loss - Kliesing (6-2). Save - None.

WP - Kliesing(4).

Umpires - HP: Dora Martinez 1B: Patti Gunst 3B: Terry Hunt

Start: 6:00 PM Time: 2:13 Attendance: 787

Weather: 62, fair, wind SSE at 11 mph

BYU 1st - Shannon to rf. Arbino to dh for Schroeder. CLAYTON grounded

out to p. MESSERSCHMID grounded out to 3b. DELAHOUSSAYE popped up to ss. 0

runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Texas A&M 1st - Morrow struck out swinging. Spittler struck out

swinging. May flied out to rf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

BYU 2nd - QUIOCHO doubled to right center. PURCELL-FITU singled to left

center; QUIOCHO advanced to third. RAMIREZ reached on a fielder's choice;

PURCELL-FITU advanced to second; QUIOCHO out at home ss to c. HUDSON struck out

swinging. VANCE-KELLUM grounded out to 2b. 0 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2

LOB.

Texas A&M 2nd - Kliesing walked. Reynolds grounded out to ss; Kliesing

advanced to second. Shannon reached on a fielder's choice; Kliesing out at

third ss to 3b. Dumezich walked; Shannon advanced to second. Orsak singled up

the middle, advanced to second on the throw, RBI; Dumezich advanced to third;

Shannon scored. Schwirtlich grounded out to 2b. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2

LOB.

BYU 3rd - WILLARD struck out swinging. CLAYTON struck out swinging.

MESSERSCHMID grounded out to ss. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Texas A&M 3rd - Morrow grounded out to 2b. Spittler walked. May walked;

Spittler advanced to second. Kliesing struck out swinging. Reynolds reached on

a fielder's choice; May advanced to second; Spittler out at third ss to 3b.

0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.

BYU 4th - DELAHOUSSAYE struck out swinging. QUIOCHO homered to left

center, RBI. PURCELL-FITU struck out swinging. RAMIREZ grounded out to p. 1

run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Texas A&M 4th - Shannon struck out swinging. Dumezich singled, bunt.

Orsak out at first p to 2b, SAC, bunt; Dumezich advanced to second. Schwirtlich

out at first 3b to 2b. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

BYU 5th - HUDSON struck out swinging. VANCE-KELLUM singled up the

middle. WILLARD grounded out to 3b, SAC, bunt; VANCE-KELLUM advanced to second.

CLAYTON struck out swinging. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

Texas A&M 5th - Morrow grounded out to 2b. Spittler doubled to left

center. May walked. Kliesing struck out looking. Reynolds reached on a

fielder's choice; May out at second 2b unassisted. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors,

2 LOB.

BYU 6th - MESSERSCHMID grounded out to 3b. DELAHOUSSAYE singled to

center field. DELAHOUSSAYE advanced to second on a wild pitch. QUIOCHO walked.

PURCELL-FITU grounded out to 2b; QUIOCHO advanced to second; DELAHOUSSAYE

advanced to third. RAMIREZ popped up to ss. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2

LOB.

Texas A&M 6th - Shannon struck out swinging. Dumezich grounded out to

ss. Orsak struck out swinging. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

BYU 7th - HUDSON walked. DUGAS pinch ran for HUDSON. VANCE-KELLUM struck

out looking. WILLARD popped up to ss. CLAYTON grounded out to 3b. 0 runs, 0

hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

Texas A&M 7th - DUGAS to cf. Schwirtlich fouled out to c. Morrow

grounded out to ss. Spittler popped up to cf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0

LOB.

BYU 8th - CLAYTON placed on second. MESSERSCHMID grounded out to p, SAC,

bunt; CLAYTON advanced to third. DELAHOUSSAYE walked. QUIOCHO singled up the

middle, RBI; DELAHOUSSAYE advanced to second; CLAYTON scored. PURCELL-FITU

singled up the middle, RBI; QUIOCHO advanced to second; DELAHOUSSAYE scored.

RAMIREZ grounded out to ss; PURCELL-FITU advanced to second; QUIOCHO advanced

to third. DUGAS singled to third base, RBI; PURCELL-FITU advanced to third;

QUIOCHO scored. VANCE-KELLUM singled down the lf line, RBI; DUGAS advanced to

second; PURCELL-FITU scored. WILLARD struck out swinging. 4 runs, 4 hits, 0

errors, 2 LOB.

Texas A&M 8th - Spittler placed on second. May reached on a fielding

error by 1b, advanced to second on a throwing error by 2b; Spittler scored.

Tovar pinch ran for May. Kliesing grounded out to 2b; Tovar advanced to third.

Reynolds flied out to rf, SF, RBI; Tovar scored, unearned. Shannon singled to

pitcher. Dumezich grounded out to ss. 2 runs, 1 hit, 2 errors, 1 LOB.