3&2count
05-12-2005, 12:16 PM
Freshman phenom Scarborough out for Big 12 tournament
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Updated May 12, 2005 7:15 AM
By ROBERT CESSNA
Eagle Staff Writer
SCARBOROUGH
OKLAHOMA CITY — Texas A&M’s Amanda Scarborough, the Big 12 Conference’s Softball Player of the Year, is missing the league’s tournament because of a head injury.
Scarborough, who also was named Freshman of the Year by the league’s coaches, was hit on the right side of the head while playing first base during Monday’s practice in College Station.
“It was a violent blow to the head,” A&M head coach Jo Evans said. “It wasn’t a soft line drive. It was ball just crushed, and it hit her square in the [side of] head.”
Scarborough said she just had time to tilt her head, so she wouldn’t take the shot straight-on off the bat of left-handed Lindsay Park.
Scarborough suffered a concussion, but was conscious the entire time.
She arrived at the hospital at about 3:30 p.m. Monday and left at 2 p.m. Wednesday. They didn’t release her until she could keep food down, said her mother, Sally Scarborough.
Scarborough can’t do any physical activity for a week, her mother said.
She’ll be examined in a week by a neurosurgeon and by an ear, nose and throat specialist. She did have bleeding behind the right eardrum, but the eardrum is OK.
She spent Wednesday night at home in Magnolia, listening to A&M’s tournament opener against Oklahoma State. But she plans to attend Thursday’s game against Baylor or Missouri.
Scarborough’s status wasn’t made public until she couldn’t pick up her hardware at Wednesday’s awards banquet.
Scarborough’s play is a big reason A&M won its first regular season title.
She is 26-1 in the circle with an 0.63 earned run average. She has 20 complete games, half of them shutouts.
Her .401 batting average leads the team. She has 11 home runs and 43 RBIs.
Scarborough has played little at first base since the emergence of Park, who earned second team all-conference honors. Park’s fielding and hitting have allowed Scarborough to be the designated player when she doesn’t pitch.
Scarborough has battled back from injuries before.
She was hit in the cheekbone last year during practice before the 5A playoff game with Spring. Scarborough was able to pitch and bat her team to victory.
Scarborough was hit on the knee as a junior, which caused her to miss a game or two, she said.
Evans wears a batting helmet while coaching third base because she was hit with a line drive March 11, 1996, her first year at A&M. That injury caused her to miss much of the spring season, spending about five weeks in bed, losing some of her hearing.
“She’s doing much better,” Evans said. “As someone who’s had a head injury, the thing I guess if there’s any silver lining is that I understand a head injury.
“I’ve been through it. I know this, she’s very fortunate to be as well as she is right now.”
There’s no timetable for her return to the field, nor is that a concern by A&M.
“She’s a tough kid,” Evans said. “If she comes back, it will be a blessing. If she doesn’t we’re just thankful that she’s OK.”
The Aggies also were missing another all-conference player in center fielder Sharonda McDonald, who sat out her second game with a knee injury suffered at Missouri.
McDonald is hitting .367 and has stolen 48 bases without getting caught.
McDonald, who is with the team, has been rehabilitating, and A&M has ordered a brace.
“There’s a good chance she’ll be playing — not this weekend, but probably next,” Evans said
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Updated May 12, 2005 7:15 AM
By ROBERT CESSNA
Eagle Staff Writer
SCARBOROUGH
OKLAHOMA CITY — Texas A&M’s Amanda Scarborough, the Big 12 Conference’s Softball Player of the Year, is missing the league’s tournament because of a head injury.
Scarborough, who also was named Freshman of the Year by the league’s coaches, was hit on the right side of the head while playing first base during Monday’s practice in College Station.
“It was a violent blow to the head,” A&M head coach Jo Evans said. “It wasn’t a soft line drive. It was ball just crushed, and it hit her square in the [side of] head.”
Scarborough said she just had time to tilt her head, so she wouldn’t take the shot straight-on off the bat of left-handed Lindsay Park.
Scarborough suffered a concussion, but was conscious the entire time.
She arrived at the hospital at about 3:30 p.m. Monday and left at 2 p.m. Wednesday. They didn’t release her until she could keep food down, said her mother, Sally Scarborough.
Scarborough can’t do any physical activity for a week, her mother said.
She’ll be examined in a week by a neurosurgeon and by an ear, nose and throat specialist. She did have bleeding behind the right eardrum, but the eardrum is OK.
She spent Wednesday night at home in Magnolia, listening to A&M’s tournament opener against Oklahoma State. But she plans to attend Thursday’s game against Baylor or Missouri.
Scarborough’s status wasn’t made public until she couldn’t pick up her hardware at Wednesday’s awards banquet.
Scarborough’s play is a big reason A&M won its first regular season title.
She is 26-1 in the circle with an 0.63 earned run average. She has 20 complete games, half of them shutouts.
Her .401 batting average leads the team. She has 11 home runs and 43 RBIs.
Scarborough has played little at first base since the emergence of Park, who earned second team all-conference honors. Park’s fielding and hitting have allowed Scarborough to be the designated player when she doesn’t pitch.
Scarborough has battled back from injuries before.
She was hit in the cheekbone last year during practice before the 5A playoff game with Spring. Scarborough was able to pitch and bat her team to victory.
Scarborough was hit on the knee as a junior, which caused her to miss a game or two, she said.
Evans wears a batting helmet while coaching third base because she was hit with a line drive March 11, 1996, her first year at A&M. That injury caused her to miss much of the spring season, spending about five weeks in bed, losing some of her hearing.
“She’s doing much better,” Evans said. “As someone who’s had a head injury, the thing I guess if there’s any silver lining is that I understand a head injury.
“I’ve been through it. I know this, she’s very fortunate to be as well as she is right now.”
There’s no timetable for her return to the field, nor is that a concern by A&M.
“She’s a tough kid,” Evans said. “If she comes back, it will be a blessing. If she doesn’t we’re just thankful that she’s OK.”
The Aggies also were missing another all-conference player in center fielder Sharonda McDonald, who sat out her second game with a knee injury suffered at Missouri.
McDonald is hitting .367 and has stolen 48 bases without getting caught.
McDonald, who is with the team, has been rehabilitating, and A&M has ordered a brace.
“There’s a good chance she’ll be playing — not this weekend, but probably next,” Evans said