By ROBERT CESSNABy ROBERT CESSNA
Things could be falling into place for the Texas A&M softball team.
Coming off back-to-back road victories at Texas and Baylor, the Aggies will open Big 12 tournament play at 11:30 a.m. Saturday against the Baylor Lady Bears at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City.
A&M (31-19, 8-9) was winless on the road this season in Big 12 play until last weekend when the Aggies received strong pitching and clutch hitting. Freshman right-hander Rebecca Arbino pitched back-to-back four-hitters to earn the league's pitcher of the week award.
A&M head coach Jo Evans wasn't surprised by Arbino's seemingly sudden transformation. She thought Arbino had pitched well in her previous two starts -- a 3-1 loss at Oklahoma (six hits, three walks) and a 3-0 loss at home to Iowa State (five hits, no walks)
The Aggie hitters didn't help Arbino with only seven hits (all singles) combined in the losses.
"I didn't think our team played great, but she did a nice job [at OU]," Evans said. "We ended up losing that game against Iowa State, not because she didn't pitch well. She was able to take those two games and show a lot of maturity. She didn't win the games, but she did a nice job, and it really built from there."
Evans said Arbino, who was hit hard early in Big 12 play in a couple of relief roles, now understands what it takes to win at this level.
"Part of it was her being a little stubborn," Evans said. "She thought she could just throw hard and blow it by people. She's realized that's not what's going to make her successful."
Arbino also had run support last week.
A&M had eight hits against Texas, including a grand slam by Bailey Schroeder followed by a solo homer by Alex Reynolds. A&M then had nine hits against Baylor. Schroeder had a game-tying RBI double in the sixth. Holly Ridley had was 4 for 4 against the Lady Bears, raising her average to .306.
Rhiannon Kliesing, who entered Big 12 play as the team's top pitcher, had a game-tying RBI single against Texas, then had the game-winning RBI single against Baylor (36-19, 11-7). She earned Big 12 player of the week honors for her efforts.
Kliesing carries a seven-game hitting streak into the tournament, having raised her average to .268. She's had eight runs batted in during that time, giving her 34 for the season along with eight homers. Both marks lead the team.
"I think she's really comfortable right now," Evans said. "She's worked really hard at it. She had struggled in the first half of the season trying to find her way. She's put a lot of time and effort into it."
Arbino's development also has helped.
"She now knows she has some help on the mound," Evans said. "I think that's a huge relief for her."
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NOTES -- The game will be broadcast on KZNE (1150 AM). If it wins, A&M would play at 5 p.m. Saturday in the single-elimination tournament. ... A&M won the Big 12 tournament for the first time last year, beating Nebraska in the championship. ... The NCAA Tournament selection show will be at 9 p.m. Sunday on ESPNU. ... A&M feels better about making the field after beating Texas and Baylor. A&M is 32nd in the NCAA ratings percentage index. Baylor is 36th. ... Ridley has had hits in her last six at-bats. ... Baylor will be without freshman outfielder Kayce Walker, who suffered a season-ending ACL injury on April 22 against Texas. The former Franklin High standout was hitting a team-leading .413 with 23 steals. ... A&M has beaten BU left-handed freshman Whitney Canion (23-15) twice this season by a run each time. She has 376 strikeouts in 253 1/3 innings with 10 shutouts. ... Baylor has dropped its last six games at the Big 12 tournament and is 9-20 overall.
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