KINGSVILLE, TEXAS – The Texas A&M-Kingsville softball team finished off their own tournament with a 4-2 win over Southern Arkansas on a cold, dreary day at Hubert Field.
The Javelinas (5-2) scored single runs in the first, second and third innings to build up a lead. They were able to add another insurance run in the fifth inning and they were able to limit the Muleriders (5-6) in the sixth inning when they tried to make a comeback.
The Hoggies took the lead in the game on their first batter when freshman Jaeleen Castro (San Antonio/Roosevelt HS) cracked her first career home run. In the second inning, Yvette Berlanga (San Antonio/O’Connor HS) led off with a single and scored when the SAU third baseman fired wildly on Kaylee Villanueva’s (Corpus Christi/Moody HS) infield single.
The Javs scored again in the third inning without the benefit of a hit or an error. Castro was hit by a pitch and promptly stole second. She moved up to third on a ground out and scored on Amber Cherry’s (Splendora/Splendora HS) slow grounder to the first baseman.
The Muleriders took a similar path to score a run in the top of the fourth. Mackenzie Spanko walked and stole second to open the inning. She moved to third on a ground out and then scored on Brittany Blake’s two-out single.
The Javelinas extended the lead back to three runs in the fifth inning. Rose Stubbs (Garland/Garland HS) came through with a two-out double to drive in Kaycee Bryan (Splendora/Splendora HS) who had walked earlier in the inning.
In the sixth inning, the Muleriders made one last bid to get back into the game. After one out, Taelor Wheeler singled and then Macie Tillery followed with another single. Wheeler advanced to third on the hit and then scored when the Javelinas threw errantly in trying to get Tillery out at second base on the same play. Next up to bat was Blake who nearly hit a game-tying home run, but it went just foul down the left field line. She eventually walked to put runners on first and second. The Hoggies got out of the jam when Lindsey Brown (Spring/Spring HS) struck out Brittany Wood and catcher Kodie Garner (Garland/Garland HS) picked up pinch runner Shelby Bishop at second base to complete the unconventional double play.
Each team managed only four hits and each committed two errors. Castro was the offensively star for the Javelinas with a home run and two runs scored. Brown improved to 5-0 on the season in the circle allowing four hits, four walks and one earned run while striking out four.
Candice Collier was handed the loss for the Muleriders despite only allowing four hits and two walks while striking out two in 6.0 innings.
The Javelinas were originally scheduled to play Tarleton State following their game with Southern Arkansas, but the game was ruled a No Contest when the TexAnns left the tournament early.
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