A little water never really hurt anybody, and certainly not the Aggie women. Battling both opening day jitters and the weather, the No. 17 Texas A&M softball team claimed a 6-1 victory Wednesday night over the University of North Texas in the inaugural game of the 2004 season at the Aggie Softball Complex.
A&M officials strategically moved the start of the game from 5 p.m. to 3 p.m. to avoid the inclement weather looming on the horizon, but the game couldn’t get out of the rain as four delays, totaling 90 minutes of stoppage, dotted the game.
In a game when a small canoe was needed to steal second, A&M head coach Jo Evans praised her team for standing firm.
“I was really happy to get that win,” Evans said. “This is good to get a game under our belts.”
Even through the steady drizzle, the Aggies (1-0) were in top form. Redshirt freshman pitcher Jill Weynand, coming off an injury last year, hurled six complete innings of near-flawless softball to pick up the win.
Through four innings, the right-hander struck out five and allowed only one base runner: a walk to leadoff hitter Katy Maxey.
Weynand finished the game with nine strike-outs and three walks. The only blemish on her record was a line-drive home run given up to North Texas freshman third baseman Susan Waters to lead off the top of the fifth, after a 36-minute rain delay. For first-year program North Texas (0-1), this was its first hit in team history.
“She got a good hit,” Weynand said. “I just made a mistake; I had to dig a little deeper after that and get refocused.”
Although she struggled in the fifth after giving up the scoreboard-denting shot to Waters by loading the bases on an error and two walks, Weynand showed her competitive spirit by retiring the top two hitters of the UNT order to end the threat. The Aggies never looked back from there.
In the bottom half of the fifth, after A&M sophomore catcher Kristin Gunter’s leadoff double and a pair of walks, A&M senior right fielder and eight-hole hitter Sherah Atkins launched a towering grand slam over the wall in right-center field.
“It felt good,” Atkins said. “I felt like it was going out right after I hit it.”
The usually shy Atkins was all smiles after the game, and rightfully so.
Her fifth inning shot capped off a three-for-three night from the plate that included a bunt single and an 0-2 triple off the wall in left.
Atkins was on deck in the bottom of the sixth waiting for her chance to hit for the cycle when the game was called due to rain.
Even though it was clearly her night to shine, Atkins was quick to redirect the spotlight toward her teammates.
“Jill did really well,” Atkins said. “I was really proud of her.”
After a solid opening day victory, the Aggies will travel to Stephen F.
Austin for a Sunday doubleheader.