SOFTBALL: Ross shines in the circle in split

Opponents may have been wondering what it would take to get San Diego State softball pitcher Christina Ross out of the circle Saturday. When a barrage of opposing base runners against No. 5 Texas A&M failed to remove the ace pitcher, the umpires had to step in. If not for a short hailstorm that ended the nightcap of a double header in the 6th inning, Ross may have stayed put for the entire weekend. The rubber-armed senior pitched both games of the San Diego Classic II, held at SDSU Softball Stadium. "She's so tough that way, I knew that she wanted the ball," head coach Kathy Van Wyk said. "Coming into today she was tired and sore, so I'm real proud of her." Against the Aggies, Ross continually escaped tight situations without allowing any runs, earning the 3-0 victory. Texas A&M got at least two runners on base in each of the first five innings. However, key strikeouts by Ross and a strong defensive play helped SDSU escape jam after jam without giving up a single run. In the fourth inning, sophomore Lindsey Marquez fielded a grounder at second base and threw the ball past freshman shortstop Jen Wisneski. In the next at-bat, the quick reflexes of junior third baseman Christine Kulick saved a run. Kulick jumped to her left and caught a line drive shot off of the bat of Aggie pitcher Megan Gibson that would have led to at least one run for Texas A&M. "It was a great play," Van Wyk said. "Those are reaction plays that make or break the game in a lot of situations." Ross effectively mixed up her repertoire of a fastball, riser and curveball, keeping the Aggies off balance and striking out 10 batters. Despite allowing 11 base runners, the Aztecs were able to shut out a ranked opponent. "I was throwing curves outside because I was getting that at that point in time so I continued to go with it," Ross said. "I think it was very good for us to come back and get that game." The game began with a scary moment. With runners on first and second, Marquez hit a hard line drive off the face of Texas A&M starter Rhiannon Kliesing. The ball went through the infield, allowing sophomore Brittany Knudsen to score easily in the first run. After a brief visit from the training staff, Kliesing stayed in the game. Knudsen provided more run support when she crushed a two-run homer to right field with two outs in the second. As impressive as SDSU was against the Aggies, it was shut out and held to just three hits earlier in the afternoon against No. 25 Long Beach State. With little power in the lineup, the Aztecs have relied on good base running and situational hitting to manufacture runs. Against the 49ers, neither of those skills were on display in a 1-0 loss. "That game was decided by our offense, or lack there of," Van Wyk said. "When you're out there and strike out and look silly like we did so many times, then something is wrong with the hitting." SDSU was unable to capitalize on a hit and run attempt that easily led to redshirt junior Dani Sidoti being thrown out at second base to end the second inning. That was one of the few chances that the Aztecs had against Long Beach State pitcher Brooke Turner, who held SDSU to only four baserunners the entire game.

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