Aggies combine for nine extra base hits over the two games

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Box Score 2
GREENSBORO, April 9, 2008 – Savannah State starter Rachel West had North Carolina A&T hitters off balance with her off-speed pitches the first time through the lineup on Wednesday. But when the Aggie softball players faced her for a second time, it began what would become a long afternoon for the Tigers junior.

West pitched both games of the doubleheader and she and her teammates were defeated 8-0 in the first game and 18-0 in the second game. The Aggies (20-11-1) combined for 29 hits over the two games as they extended their winning streak to eight. For the first time in the fastpitch program’s history, the Aggies have put together three straight 20-win seasons.

The Aggies are also on pace to put together the program’s first back-to-back 30-win season, and need 12 more wins to break the school record for wins. The Aggies moved closer to those accomplishments by putting on another display of power. During their eight-game winning streak, the Aggies have outscored their opponents 84-9 and have out-hit their opponents 89-31.

On Wednesday, the Aggies combined for nine extra base hits, including four home runs by four different players as Lillian Bullock, Chaola Simmons, Tangie Conover and Ryanne Hill all homered. Simmons’ home run was an inside-the-park homer.

The Tigers were competitive over the first few innings of Wednesday’s first game. West did go through the Aggies lineup the first time through nearly flawless. But in the third, Yahamma White ignited the Aggies offense by laying down a perfectly placed bunt to earn a hit.

After White stole second, Conover tripled to right field to score White. Jessie Larson’s sacrifice fly to center scored Conover for a 2-0 Aggies lead. Back-to-back singles by Bullock and Hill set up an RBI-single by Bianca Alsobrook that capped off the Aggies three-run third by scoring Bullock.

The Aggies increased their lead in the fifth with Alsobrook starting the rally by singling to left field. Channing Statham reached on an error which set up Simmons’ inside-the-park homer as she just slid under the tag of the Tigers catcher for a 7-0 Aggies lead. Bullock ended the game in the sixth by prompting the 8-run mercy rule with a home run over the left-center field fence.

The second game was all Aggies with Larson leading the way with a 4-for-4 performance that included two RBIs and two runs scored. Hill and Conover had three hits apiece with Hill adding four RBIs to her totals. Simmons also contributed with three RBIs.

What perhaps got lost in the midst of the Aggies offensive prowess was the excellent pitching they got from starters Jennifer Luper and Sasha Philpot. Luper won the first game and improved to 12-3 on the season and has given up only one earned run in her last 28 innings pitched. She struck out a season-high 13. Philpot (7-6) tossed her second straight shutout as she was the winner in Game 2.  She struck out seven and gave up just one hit. The Aggies will find the competition tougher on Saturday as they host conference foe Florida A&M for a 1 p.m., doubleheader.