College Softball World Series : Cal State Fullerton Loses in 13th to Texas A&M;, 2-1

It was a few games early, but Cal State Fullerton and Texas A&M;, the teams that played in last year’s softball College World Series final, met in a second-round game of the College World Series Friday night.

Fullerton won the last College World Series meeting--and the national championship on a one-hitter by Connie Clark.

This one was not so easily decided. Top-ranked Fullerton and No. 2 Texas A&M; were scoreless through 10 innings and tied 1-1 after 12 before the Aggies finally won, 2-1, in 13 innings in front of 1,200 at Seymour Smith Field.

With two out in the 13th, Texas A&M;’s Erin Newkirk singled up the middle, scoring Shawn Adaya from second base. Adaya had walked and advanced to second on Zina Ochoa’s fielder’s choice.

The Aggies (53-7) retired Fullerton in the bottom of the inning to win it.

Texas A&M; scored first in the 11th inning when Carrie Heightley’s squib single rolled between Clark and first baseman Missy Coombes, scoring Ochoa.

Fullerton countered in the bottom of the inning, though, with Rina Foster scoring when second baseman Julie Smith’s throw to first after a diving stop of a Coombes grounder was not in time.

“It was the most incredible game I’ve ever been involved with,” said Judi Garman, Fullerton coach.

Texas A&M; will play No. 4 UCLA--which advanced with a 3-0 victory over Nebraska--in a third-round winner’s bracket game today at 3 p.m.

Fullerton (58-9) will play Fresno State at 1 p.m. in the loser’s bracket.

In the UCLA-Nebraska game, freshman Lisa Longaker (20-4) pitched a one-hitter, striking out a career-high 13 and walking one.

UCLA scored the only run it needed in the fifth when Shauna Wattenberg skipped home from third after Nebraska shortstop Jane Kremer was called for obstructing Wattenberg on her way from second to third. Wattenberg, batting just .200 before the College World Series, is 4 for 4 with three doubles in two series games. She had reached on a double and was obstructed on her way to third on Sam Arledge’s single.

UCLA added two unearned runs in the seventh on two walks an error and a single.