Spring Break
Owls sweep Aggies with 2-run homer
By: Travis Yoesting
Issue date: 6/9/08 Section: News
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As fans got up for the seventh-inning stretch, it appeared the Aggies were on pace to force a game 3 and keep their season alive with their slim 5-4 lead.
A weak grounder to third and a hanging knuckle-curve later, the Texas A&M baseball team once again left Reckling Park with a season ending 2-0 sweep in the super regionals.
Rice catcher Adam Zornes hit a two-run home run on the first pitch he saw from Starling in the eighth to lead the Owls to a 6-5 win. Shortstop Rick Hague reached on an infield single to give Zornes the at bat with two outs.
"It was a tough, hard fought game," Texas A&M Head Coach Rob Childress said following the loss. "I'm not going to apologize for being one of the last 16 teams in the country playing."
Coming in with a 2-0 count and runners on first and second with no outs in the seventh, Starling first allowed a sacrifice bunt to Rice DH Jordan Dodson.
After an intentional walk to center fielder Jared Gayhart, Starling struck first baseman J.P. Padron out swinging.
Starling then got third baseman Diego Seastrunk to hit a ground ball to first base. Anders fielded the ball awkwardly but flipped the ball to Starling with perfect timing as he landed on first base, ahead of the runner.
"Coming in in a tough spot isn't anything they haven't asked me to do before," Starling said. "I was nervous a little bit, but I've been there before."
The escape appeared to give the Aggies momentum as the team bounded out of the dugout to congratulate Starling on his performance in the seventh, but the team did not yet start thinking about a Monday game.
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