DURANT, Okla. – The bats came alive for the Texas A&M-Kingsville softball team (4-5) Sunday morning in their final game of the Southeastern Regional Invitational. They were needed as they outlasted Southwestern Oklahoma State (4-7) 12-11 in eight innings at the Durant Multi-Sports Complex.
Haley Boyett hit the first two home runs of her collegiate career. She became the first Javelinas to smack two bombs in a game since April 20, 2013 by
Adela Gomez at Midwestern State. Driving in three RBI to pace the team was
Valerie Ramirez.
Picking up the win was
Karri Smith (3-2) after pitching three innings out of the bullpen with three strikeouts. Molly Vivo of the Bulldogs was credited with the loss as she dropped to 1-3 on the season.
On the second pitch of the game, Boyett drove the offering over the left field fence for an early TAMUK advantage.
The lead held until SWOSU tallied two in the bottom of the second on a two-out double.
Answering back the next half inning, Boyett started the frame off with a double to left field.
Jaeleen Castro drove her home with a single back up the middle two batters later to tie the game.
Loren Donaldson and
Stephanie Lugo followed by reaching base on a throwing error and fielder's choice, respectively. A 3-1 pitch was blasted over the center field fence by Ramirez to put the Blue and Gold up 5-2.
Following a scoreless fourth inning by both teams, the only inning in which neither squad scored, Castro hit a homer over the left field fence to start the fifth.
The Bulldogs responded with five in the bottom of the inning to take the lead.
Boyett hit her second dinger of the contest in the sixth to knot the score 7-7. Five singles led to four runs for SWOSU in the bottom of half of the frame to seemingly put the game away.
Three singles by the Javelinas and two throwing errors from the Bulldogs helped TAMUK tie the game. Smith plated two runs in the frame while both
Shyenne Hicks and
Rachael Longoria had a RBI apiece.
SWOSU threatened to end the game on a walk-off in the bottom of the seventh as they loaded the bases with two outs. Smith though was able to strikeout Tori Hawk on four innings to force extras.
Using the international tiebreaker rule, Castro began the eighth on second base. She was thrown out on third on a ground ball but Lugo reached first on the fielder's choice. Ramirez then ripped a double to right center to put two runners in scoring position.
TAMUK's chances of scoring seemed to end on a ground ball hit by
Myrissa Sanchez but the third baseman booted the ball that allowed the eventual game-winning run to score.
The Bulldogs got a runner to third after a sacrifice bunt. Smith finished off the game with a strikeout and inducing a groundout to the next two batters.
Boyett, Castro and Smith all recorded a game-high three hits and finished with two RBI each.
Ariel Kellogg and Ramirez finished with two base knocks apiece as well.
Corinne Brassell started in the circle for the Javelinas. She went five innings with two strikeouts while surrendering seven runs on nine hits.
TAMUK's four home runs in the contest are they most they hit since also hitting four bombs on March 25, 2011 at Eastern New Mexico.
Next up for the Blue and Gold is a home doubleheader against Huston-Tillostson on Wednesday. The first pitch of game one will take place at 3 p.m.
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