DURANT, OKLAHOMA – The Texas A&M-Kingsville softball team came within a whisper of advancing to the championship round of the Lone Star Conference Regional Playoffs on Saturday, but were dealt a 4-3 defeat by #5 Angelo State University.  (box score)

The Javelinas (32-21) had chances to tie the game in the fourth, sixth and seventh innings, but were never able to get the elusive run on the board.  After scoring two runs in the fourth to make it 4-3, the Hoggies loaded the bases with two outs, but Rambelle (40-9) pitcher Chelsea Nelson induced a ground ball to get out of the jam.

In the sixth inning, the Javelinas had runners on first and second with one out, but Nelson was able to sneak out of her second jam of the game by getting a ground out and fly out.  In the seventh, Cassie Anderson (Splendora/Splendora HS) led off the inning with a double and advanced to third on Ariel Lichtenberger’s (Alice/Alice HS) one-out single.  Once again, Nelson escaped with a pop up and strike out to close out the game.

The game started with a bang as Meisha Patterson (Dumas/Dumas HS) hit a solo home run in the top of the first inning to give the Javs an early lead.  Laura Lopez responded in the bottom half of the inning with her own solo shot to tie the game.

The Belles mounted their lone rally of the game in the third inning when Kelly Frye singled and Sandy James walked to start the inning.  Lopez followed up with her second home run of the game and third of the playoffs to give ASU a 4-1 advantage.

Lopez proved to be the difference in the game as she went 3-for-3 with four RBI’s and two runs scored.  The rest of the team had a total of three hits off of Javelina pitcher Courtney Rigamonti (Victoria/St. Joseph HS).  Rigamonti allowed six hits and one walk while striking out five in the loss.

Lichtenberger and Melissa St. Clair (Garden City, KS/Garden City HS) each had two hits for the Javelinas.  Freshman Yvette Berlanga (San Antonio/O’Connor HS) and Kaycee Bryan (Splendora/Splendora HS) each had an RBI.  Nelson allowed nine hits and two earned runs while striking out four to pick up her 24th win of the season.

The Javs will now play the winner of the Southeastern Oklahoma-Cameron game today at 4 o’clock.
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