KINGSVILLE, TEXAS – The Texas A&M-Kingsville softball team entered their doubleheader with St. Mary’s on Tuesday on a season high four game losing streak, but the Javelinas were able to ride the pitching arm of Amanda Arriaga (Kingsville/H.M. King HS) to a 2-0, 7-2 sweep at Hubert Field. (Game 1, Game 2)

Arriaga pitched her best ball of the season for the Javelinas (9-10) as she was one pitch away from tossing a pair of shutouts. In the first game, she only allowed one runner to reach second base allowing two singles and a walk while striking out eight. In the second game, the Rattlers (9-8) scored both of their runs on a second inning two-run homer by Richelle Morales. Otherwise, no other Rattler even reached third base.

Arriaga finished the doubleheader throwing 14.0 innings allowing eight hits, one walk and one earned run while striking out 11. She improved to 4-7 on the season in the circle.

In the first game, the Javelinas were able to scratch across runs in the second and third innings. Janay Gonzalez (Alice/Alice HS) hit a double in the second that scored Arriaga. In the bottom of the third, Arriaga came through with a two-out single to score Rose Stubbs (Garland/Garland HS) who had reached via error.

Emily Brittain was tagged with the loss despite allowing just six hits, one walk and one earned run in 6.0 innings. She struck out eight batters in the game.

The Javelina offense started rolling in the second game. They scored two runs in the first inning when Arriaga’s hard grounder went through the legs of the second baseman allowing both Kaycee Bryan (Splendora/Splendora HS) and Lindsey Brown (Spring/Spring HS) to score.

In the second inning, Bryan smacked a two-run triple and scored on Roxanne Rodriguez’s (Portland/Gregory-Portland HS) follow up single.

The Javelinas tacked on two more runs in the third inning when Yvette Berlanga (San Antonio/O’Connor HS) hit a two-run homer to close out the scoring.

The Javelinas finished the game with 10 hits. Stubbs went 3-for-4 and Bryan was 2-for-4 with two RBI’s and two runs scored.

Heather Haas was handed the loss after allowing five runs in two innings. Katie Nichols went 3-for-4 to lead the offense of the Rattlers.

The Javelinas are back in action on March 5 at Ouachita Baptist.
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