San Angelo – Number one seed Midwestern State got big hits with two outs while the eighth seeded Texas A&M-Kingsville Javelinas did not Thursday afternoon in the first round of the NCAA Softball Tournament. As a result, the Mustangs beat the Javelinas 7-3. The loss dropped the Javelinas to 34-21 and into an elimination game Friday morning against Tarleton State at 11:00 a.m. Click here to listen live to Friday's game.
Midwestern State, ranked 18th in the nation and winners of last weekend’s Lone Star Conference Tournament, won for the eighth time in nine games and improved to 44-14 and will face St. Edward’s in the winner’s bracket Friday.
Nora Aguilar (Harlingen) started, pitched just two-thirds of an inning and took the loss to drop to 20-10 on the season.
Natalie Jones came in with the bases loaded and two outs in the first and got out of the inning with the Javelinas down 2-0. She pitched 4 1/3 innings and gave up six hits and four runs.
“We played hard for one inning and that’s frustrating,” said Javelina head coach Jake Schumann. “We are at the regional tournament and we played uninspired for four innings. I can’t explain it. Hopefully tomorrow we will play with a sense of desperation and play better.”
The Javelinas trailed 4-0 heading into the top of the fifth, but rallied to score three in the inning to make it a one run game.
Freshman Shawn Bryan (Splendora) singled to left to start the inning and fellow freshman and high school teammate Cassie Anderson laid down a bunt in front of home plate. She beat the throw to first with the throw from Mustang catcher Lindsey Voigt sailing into right field, scoring Bryan with Anderson advancing to third.
After Sally Lozano struck out swinging, Joanna Dorado came through with her second double of the game, scoring Anderson and cutting the lead to 4-2. After Megan Hall popped out, Quesha Torres walked to give the Javelinas runners at first and second with two outs.
Junior catcher Julia Canales (H.M. King) fouled off four consecutive two-strike pitches before singling to left to score Dorado and cut the lead to 4-3. Torres advanced to third and Canales to second on the throw home.
But the Javelinas couldn’t do any more damage stranding Torres and Canales to end the inning.
It was the theme that plagued the Javelinas all game.
A&M-Kingsville had two runners aboard with two outs in the first when Hall reached on an error and Torres doubled, but were stranded.
The same happened in the second when with two outs, Bryan and Anderson singled but couldn’t advance.
Meanwhile, Midwestern State was getting key two out hits.
A two-out triple by Cheyanne Paschal and an error on the play scored two for the Mustangs in the fourth to build the lead to 4-0.
Midwestern then answered the Javelinas’ three-run fifth with two in the bottom of the fifth on a two-out, two-strike double by Tara Staten to build the lead back to 6-3.
“They were hitting the pitches that were thrown for strikes and we were taking first pitch strikes and that’s the only pitch we were going to get to hit.”
MSU added a single run in the bottom of the sixth against Javelina freshman pitcher Morgan Seals for the final tally.
Dorado, Bryan and Anderson all had two hits to account for six of the Javelinas’ eight hits.
While Schumann was not happy with the loss, he was happy with his team battling back down 4-0.
“We’ve battled all year and have a lot of come from behind wins. It’s not something we worry about and don’t push panic buttons. That’s one thing I’m proud of this team.”
He also believes his team can battle back to win a regional title.
“We still have a shot. We will hopefully play better against Tarleton. The two teams are very close and match-up very well.”
The Javelinas lost their first game in the Lone Star Conference last weekend, but battled back and won two elimination games before losing in 10 innings to Central Oklahoma in the third game.
“You have to do what you have to do to win that trophy. It’s not a task that can’t be obtained, but it won’t be easy. Hopefully we will play well tomorrow and get to Saturday.”
The winner of Friday’s game between the Javelinas and Tarleton State will advance to a second elimination game Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
