By ROBERT CESSNA
Oh, by the way ... Amanda Scarborough has retired from competitive softball.
One of the best athletes to wear a Texas A&M uniform opted not to return this season, even though she had a redshirt to use after injuries limited her to 15 games last year.
The two-time All-American didn't ask head coach Jo Evans to hold a news conference to announce her decision. It didn't make ESPN. Heck, it didn't even make The Eagle at first. She felt it was just natural to end her Aggie playing days with fellow seniors Megan Gibson, Jamie Hinshaw and Jami Lobpries and didn't want anyone making a fuss.
"I put in my four years," Scarborough said. "I was with my class, and it seemed normal for me to graduate with them. They are a huge part of me as well. [Retiring] just didn't seem that outlandish."
What was outlandish was the success the group had. The quartet helped A&M to a 184-53 record, a pair of regular-season Big 12 championships, a postseason championship and back-to-back College World Series appearances capped by a runner-up effort against Arizona State.
"Our ultimate goal was to play for a national championship, and we did," Scarborough said. "Just being part of that was a great feeling, to start in February then get there in June."
No one had a tougher road to Oklahoma City last year than Scarborough.
She fouled a bunt off her foot against Stephen F. Austin on Feb. 20 and eventually had to sit. It wasn't thought to be a serious injury, but she missed 14 games and didn't return until March 8. She came back and batted twice in the Aggie Classic, but her season ended there.
All indications pointed to Scarborough gearing up for some incredible numbers. She was batting .447 with a .684 slugging percentage, while opening in the circle with a 4-2 record and 2.27 earned run average.
Scarborough refused to let circumstances ruin her season. She became head coach Jo Evans most decorated player-coach, going over opposing hitters with the pitchers before the game, then chatting with catcher Erin Glasco between innings. Evans even allowed Scarborough to make trips to the mound, telling you all you needed to know about how much the coach trusted her.
ESPN cameras were able to catch Scarborough's personality on tape, but what they didn't catch was all the hard work she had to do just to make those slow walks to the mound.
At times, not being able to play was tough for her to deal with.
"I'm no different. I've definitely had my moments," Scarborough said. "You just can't let those creep up on you. There's enough bad stuff in the world. Me not being able to run is not that big of a deal."
What was a big deal was her perseverance. She kept pushing to get better. Everywhere she went there were well wishers, many praying for her. She's never given in, but she's also been realistic about not being able to play again.
"I kinda always knew once I got hurt," Scarborough said. "Still to this day I can't run. So I can't even imagine getting ready to play Arizona. It would be like complete frustration for me."
Scarborough is recovering from two surgeries. She had surgery for a lisfranc fracture of the right midfoot, then had surgery on her left foot for a ruptured plantar's plate where doctors repaired the main bone in her foot and big toe.
"I am getting better. It's just a slow process," said Scarborough, flashing her trademark smile. "I can run with limited body weight. There's a treadmill in [Netum] Steed, and it compresses with the air to put in as much body weight as I want. It's really cool. I just went up to 70 percent."
Leave it to Scarborough to call a grueling activity "cool." Even while on crutches, she never stopped working out, either riding a bike or lifting weights. With the help of the special treadmill, she now runs 2-3 times a week.
"It's become just a big part of my life," said Scarborough, who will eventually have to decide if she wants to be a full-time coach.
She just started graduate school in sport management and will be a student graduate assistant at least through the 2010 season.
"I feel so blessed that I can go to school and coach at the same time," she said. "I love the game. I loved playing in my four years. I truly believe I'm in the right position, and I love my new position. I just love being around softball, and it's a perfect fit."
There's still a few Aggies who would live to see Scarborough in the circle or at the plate this weekend against Arizona in the Texas A&M Invitational. The former All-American ended with a .355 batting average, fifth in school history. She's also in the Top 10 in runs batted in (seventh, 125), doubles (fifth, 42), home runs (sixth, 25), total bases (ninth, 310) and slugging percentage (third, .608). She's also in the Top 10 in the four main pitching categories -- wins (sixth, 71), innings (ninth, 599.2), strikeouts (seventh, 537) and ERA (seventh, 1.45).
She also lost parts of two seasons to injuries.
While the foot injury ended her senior season, a concussion knocked Scarborough out of the lineup just before the Big 12 tournament her freshman year. The Aggies were clearly one of the best team's in the nation at the time and Scarborough was a big reason. She was 26-1 with an 0.85 ERA and was batting .408 when she was hurt.
"I didn't think about it when I was in the middle of it in my freshman and sophomore year," Scarborough said. "But now that I look back on it, I have been through a lot."
She has, but she managed to accomplish even more. And now from the dugout, she's passing that determination on.
Robert Cessna's e-mail address is robert.cessna@theeagle.com.
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Posted by: Pablo On: 2/27/2009
Comment Title: Coach in waiting?
I know Coach Evans is still young enough, but it would seem like a great fit if she were to join her staff and eventually take over.. what a great story.