Cyclones Fall, 4-1, to No. 3 Texas A&M

COLLEGE STATION, Texas ? Third-ranked Texas A&M scored two runs in the first inning and held off Iowa State to pick up the 4-1 win in the Big 12 opener for both schools in College Station, Texas Saturday afternoon.

The Aggies (27-3, 1-0 Big 12) used an impressive performance from two-time Big 12 Player of the Year Amanda Scarborough, both at the plate and in the pitching circle, to win the Big 12 opener. Scarborough (13-2) tossed a complete game four hitter and limited Iowa State (17-23, 0-1) to just one run while striking out 12. At the plate, Scarborough finished the game 2-for-2 with a double and a run batted in. Megan Gibson also collected two hits for the Aggies.

The Cyclones collected four hits, three of which came in the second inning as ISU chipped away at an early deficit. Alex Johnson had Iowa State's only other hit, a double in the sixth inning, to move within two hits of the school's freshman record. Johnson now has 43 hits and seven doubles on the season.

Texas A&M's duo of Gibson and Scarborough came through with a pair of two-out hits in the first inning to stake the Aggies to a 2-0 lead out of the gates.

The Cyclones got one back in the third with a two-out rally of their own. Kristen Karanzias, Jessica Quade and Amanda Bradberry each collected hits off Scarborough, who entered the game with a 1.31 ERA, to make it a one-run game.

The game stood at 2-1 as Scarborough held ISU to just one hit over the next two innings and Ransom kept the Cyclones in the game by getting out of a bases loaded jam in the fifth.

The Aggies struck for two more runs in the fifth, with Gibson and Scarborough setting the table for pinch hitter Holly Ridley, who answered the call with a two-run single to make it 4-1 Aggies.

Scarborough allowed just the double to Johnson, her seventh of the season, in the final two innings to secure the Aggies' third straight win.

Alyssa Ransom (6-8) lost to end her two game winning streak. Ransom, a native of Round Rock, Texas, allowed four runs while striking out five in the loss.

The Cyclones and Aggies will meet again Sunday at noon in the final game of the series. Live stats will be available at Cyclones.com.

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Players Mentioned

Amanda Bradberry

Alex Johnson

Kristen Karanzias

Kristen Karanzias

Jessica Quade

Jessica Quade

Alyssa Ransom

Alyssa Ransom

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