KINGSVILLE, TEXAS – On the first day of the Texas A&M-Kingsville Softball Tournament, the Javelinas lost to Southern Arkansas, 6-5 and defeated Southeastern Oklahoma, 5-3 at Hubert Field. (Game 1, Game 2)

In the loss to Southern Arkansas, the Javelinas (4-4) fell behind early after Heather Allison hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the first inning for the Muleriders. The Hoggies scored two runs in the top of the second inning after Yvette Berlanga (San Antonio/O’Connor HS) and Janay Gonzalez (Alice/Alice HS) singled in runs.

In the fifth inning it appeared that the Javelinas would tie the game or take the lead after Rose Stubbs (Garland/Garland HS) and Kaycee Bryan (Splendora/Splendora HS) each singled and then pulled off a double steal with only one out. Unfortunately, the Javs could not get the key hit.

The Muleriders received a boost in the bottom of the sixth inning when Julie Essary hit a three-run homer to take a 6-2 lead.

The Javelinas pulled to within one run after Bryan crushed a three-run homer in the top of the seventh inning. Lindsey Brown (Spring/Spring HS) followed with a one-out double and reached third on Amanda Arriaga’s (Kingsville/H.M. King HS) single, but Taylor Clifton was able to get the final two outs for SAU to earn the victory.

The Javelinas pounded out 13 hits with five players having two hits apiece. Brown cracked a pair of doubles while Bryan had three RBI’s to lead the offense. Arriaga fell to 1-3 on the season after allowing seven hits, six runs and a walk while striking out two in 6.0 innings.

The Muleriders did not put together much offense save a pair of three-run homers that proved to be the difference in the game. Clifton pitched a complete game without walking a batter and striking out two.

In the second game of the day, one bad inning nearly spelled defeat for the Javelinas. After scoring a run in the bottom of the first thanks to a double by Bryan, the Javelinas squandered excellent scoring chances in each of the next three innings.

The Savage Storm (0-2) were held to only one walk and one hit through the first four inning by Brown, but they rallied in the top of the fifth. The leadoff batter reached via error and then Cassy Tice singled. A sacrifice bunt put runners on second and third when another error led to a run. A ground out from Ashley Lovelady scored Tice to give the Storm the lead. Pinch-hitter Courtney Walters followed with an RBI single to make it a 3-1 game.

The Hoggies did not score in the bottom of the fifth inning, but struck gold in the sixth inning. After back-to-back singles by Berlanga and Ashley Zamora (San Juan/PSJA HS) to open the inning, Gonzalez popped up into a double play. Stubbs kept the inning alive with a single and then Bryan drove a double just over the outstretched glove of the left fielder to bring in a pair of runs to tie the game. After an intentional walk to Brown, Arriaga delivered a single to score Bryan. Then, Roxanne Rodriguez (Portland/Gregory-Portland HS) doubled to give the Javs an insurance run.

Brown walked a pair of runners in the seventh inning, but was able to hold on for her third win of the season. She allowed five hits, three walks and no earned runs while striking out eight in a complete game victory.

The Javelinas compiled 13 more hits in the game with Stubbs, Bryan and Arriaga each picking up their second two-hit game of the day.

The Savage Storm did little on offense other than their fifth inning rally. Ashley Smith pitched a complete game allowing four earned runs and two walks while striking out four in the loss.

The Javelinas will play Midwestern State and Southeastern Oklahoma on Saturday at 3 and 5 p.m., respectively.
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