Hoggies Split on the Road

PORTALES, NEW MEXICO – After a week off, the #24 Texas A&M-Kingsville softball team traveled to Lone Star Conference South Division rival Eastern New Mexico for a doubleheader. The Javelinas (15-7, 3-2) won the first game 9-8, but lost the second game 10-0 in five innings on Friday. (Game 1, Game 2)

In the first game, the Javelinas built up a big lead before the Zias (14-9, 2-3) stormed back to make it a ball game. The Hoggies pounded out 12 hits in the first four innings with junior leftfielder Cassie Anderson (Splendora/Splendora HS) leading the way with three hits and three runs scored. A four run fourth inning gave the team an 8-1 lead and it appeared that they might run-rule the Zias.

The Zias responded with a four run bottom half of the fourth inning scoring all of their runs with two outs. The Javs tacked on another run in the top of the fifth when Ariel Lichtenberger (Alice/Alice HS) drove in Shaun Bryan (Splendora/Splendora HS) with a singe.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, Rebecca Quinones hit a three-run homer for the Zias to make it a 9-8 game. Kimberly Crouse followed with a one-out triple, but was stranded at third base. In the bottom of the seventh inning, Courtney Rigamonti (Victoria/St. Joseph HS) retired the side without a threat to hold onto the victory, her 12th of the season.

The Hoggies had six players with at least two hits as they finished the game with 14 base hits. In addition to Anderson’s exploits, Dalia Marroquin (Brownsville/Porter HS) went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and Kaycee Bryan (Splendora/Splendora HS) went 2-for-4 with a team high two RBI’s. Rigamonti struck out nine batters in the circle.

The Zias also had 14 hits in the game with the top four batters doing most of the damage. Laura Thompson, Alex Mayo Otis and Quinones each had three hits in the game. Thompson and Otis each scored two runs. Kristen Cruickshank was handed the loss as she allowed 11 hits and eight runs in 3.1 innings.

The second game was all Zias as they rolled to a 10-0 win in just five innings. Cruikshank was the offensive star of the game as she went 3-for-4 with two doubles and a walk-off grand slam to end the game. Otis went 1-for-1 with three runs scored and two walks while pitcher Kimberly Crouse helped out her own cause by going 2-for-2 with a run scored and an RBI. Crouse allowed just two hits and no walks while striking out four batters in her shutout victory.

The lone bright spot for the Javelinas was Cassie Anderson getting a first inning single to extend her hitting streak to a career high 18 games.

The two teams will finish up their three-game series on Saturday at 1 o’clock.
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