KINGSVILLE, TEXAS – On the final home date of the season, the Texas A&M-Kingsville softball team split a pair of game against Lone Star Conference South Division rival Texas Woman’s on Friday. They lost the first game, 6-5 in 10 innings and won the second game, 7-2 at Hubert Field. (Game 1, Game 2)

The first game was a hard fought emotional game for both teams as tempers ran high on a hot, windy afternoon. The Javelinas (24-28, 5-13) scored in the bottom of the first inning, but were left wanting more as they left the bases loaded in what was to become a theme for both teams. Each team left 14 runners on base during the game.

The score remained 1-0 until the top of the fourth inning when the Pioneers (27-23, 9-9) put together a two-out rally. Kayla Williams drove in the tying run with a single and then scored the go-ahead run on a single by Bailey Vrazel.

The Pioneer lead did not last long as the Javelinas came back with three runs in the bottom of fourth. The Javs had a chance to extend the lead in the sixth inning when they loaded the bases again, but were unable to score.

In the top of the seventh inning, the Pioneers tied up the game on Amy Menge’s two-run homer, her first of the season.

The Hoggies did not threaten in the seventh and neither team put a runner on base in the eighth. The Pioneers put runners on second and third to start the ninth inning, but Amanda Arriaga (Kingsville/H.M. King HS) induced two pop ups and a ground out to keep the game tied.

In the 10th inning, the international tie-breaker rule was enforced where each team puts a runner on second to start the inning. The Pioneers scored one run on a triple by Vrazel and then she scored on a double by Tiffany Wiese.

In the bottom of the 10th, the Javelinas had runners on first and third with no outs when they attempted a double steal that worked. Unfortunately, the runner stealing second attempted to continue on to third after the throw got away and she was thrown out. The Javs put two more runners on base, but the game ended when Yvette Berlanga’s (San Antonio/O’Connor HS) scorching grounder up the middle was stopped by the foot of pitcher Kaylee Davis who threw to first to end the game.

The Javelinas had 15 hits in the game as Stubbs led the way with five hits and two runs. She tied the school record for hits in a game in the process. Amber Cherry (Splendora/Splendora HS) added three hits while Roxanne Rodriguez (Portland/Gregory-Portland HS) and Arriaga each had two hits and an RBI. Arriaga took the loss in the circle after pitching a complete game.

The Pioneers pounded out 17 hits in the game. Vrazel went 5-for-6 with a run, two RBI’s and three stolen bases. Menge was 3-for-5 with two RBI’s and Williams was 2-for-5 with two runs and an RBI. Davis picked up the win after pitching 5.0 innings of relief and only allowing one unearned run.

In the second game, the Pioneers scored a run in the top of the first and the top of the seventh innings, but the Javelinas dominated the middle innings. Stubbs continued to hit for the Hoggies going 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI. Rodriguez drove in two runs with a double while Cherry went 2-for-4 with a run. Taylor Munguia (Houston/Cy-Ridge HS) went 2-for-2 with two runs scored and seniors Janay Gonzalez (Alice/Alice HS) and Jen Hall (North Pole, AK/North Pole HS) each had a hit in their final home game.

Senior pitcher Cassandra Hernandez (Harlingen/Harlingen South HS) kept the Pioneers off balance scattering eight hits and two walks over 7.0 innings. She struck out a season high four batters to earn her fourth win of the year.

Davis started the game in the circle for the Pioneers as she attempted to pick up her third win of the series, but she was pulled after 3.1 innings and was tagged with the loss.

The Javelinas are back in action next Friday at 5 p.m. against Incarnate Word in a doubleheader on the road.
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