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KINGSVILLE, Texas – For the first time in two weeks, the Texas A&M-Kingsville softball team is back at Vernie and Blanche Hubert Field when they host Huston-Tillotson in a doubleheader Wednesday that is sponsored by El Dorado Restaurant. Game one's first pitch will take place at 3 p.m. while the second game follows approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first contest.
 
All-Time Series
Texas A&M-Kingsville has won all four previous meetings against Huston-Tillotson. All of the games have been played in Kingsville with the last being a 4-1 and 50 doubleheader sweep on February 8, 2014. The first every meetings between the programs took place March 2, 2013. Both games ended after five innings because of run rule.
 
Scouting Texas A&M-Kingsville
Carlie Clark comes into the twinbill with a team-high .538 batting average. Fellow pitcher Karri Smith is behind her in the pecking order with a .409 average while tied for the team lead in RBI at six with Jaeleen Castro. Both of them and Loren Donaldson have smacked a home run this year. Pacing TAMUK with two dingers is Haley Boyett and Valerie Ramirez.
 
On the base path, Boyett and Castro are both a perfect 2-for-2 stealing bags. Also with two steals is Stephanie Lugo in three attempts.
 
Smith has emerged as the number one starter of the pitching staff. She has started five games and gone the distance in all of them. For the year, Smith is 3-2 with a 3.93 ERA in 35.2 innings and a staff best 16 strikeouts. Bella Rosas and Clark have both started two games and thrown one complete contest. Clark comes in at 1-1 with a 2.42 ERA and eight strikeouts in 8.2 frames. Rosas has tossed 10.0 while posting a 0-2 mark and 4.20 ERA.
 
Scouting Huston-Tillotson
Huston-Tillotson will be playing their third and fourth consecutive road games to begin the season. They are 0-2 on the year after being swept in a doubleheader back on February 10 at Howard Payne. Both games ended with the score 7-4. Last year the Rams finished 8-30 overall and 5-13 in the Red River Athletic Conference. The NAIA program is located in Austin, Texas.
 
Pacing HTU at the plate is Zoe Castillo with a .500 average. She also comes into the games with a RBI and run scored. Emmili Aguero has also plated a run while hitting .375 and scoring twice. Samantha Aricba has scored a team-high three times while Samantha Garcia's two RBI are the most on the squad. Also driving in a run this season has been Valerie Perez and Rachel Rodriguez.
 
As a team, the Rams are hitting .250 with a .318 on-base and .286 slugging percentages. They have recorded 14 base knocks with just going for extra bases, a triple. HTU has struck out three times while drawing four walks and getting hit by a pitch twice. In the field, they have committed four errors for a .942 fielding percentage.
 
Pitching in both contests this season with a start is Perez. She is 0-1 with a 1.75 ERA in 4.0 innings and a strikeout. Also making a start is Maren Stone (0-1, 7.00 ERA). Aguero has made one appearance this year out of the bullpen, going 3.0 frames and surrendering two runs on five hits and four walks.
 
The Rams have a team ERA of 4.08 in 12.0 innings. They have given up 20 hits, 14 runs and have issued eight free passes. Opponents are hitting .417 against them with seven doubles and two triples being recorded.
 
Bombs Away
TAMUK blasted four homers in the final game of the Southeastern Regional Invitational against Southwestern Oklahoma State. The home run total is the most by the Javelinas in a game since also hitting four at Eastern New Mexico on March 25, 2011.
 
Boyett Goes Yard Twice
Haley Boyett hit two dingers against the Bulldogs, half of TAMUK's total in the game. She is the first Javelina to hit two in a contest since Adela Gomez at Midwestern State on April 20, 2013. The school record is three off the bat of Sarah Norman at Southern Arkansas (Feb. 9, 2002).
 
Single-Game Caught Stealing Mark
Three times the Javelinas were thrown out trying to steal in the season opener against Texas A&M International. The mark tied the school's single-game school record. The last time the Blue and Gold were thrown out thrice in a game was February 1, 2008 versus Texas Woman's in San Antonio, Texas.
 
Season Openers
Texas A&M-Kingsville improved to 11-8 all-time in season openers after defeating Texas A&M International 4-2. They had previously lost two straight with the last win coming in 2012 versus Texas-Permian Basin (13-0, 5 innings).
 
Opening at Home
When beginning their year at Hubert Field, TAMUK is now 8-3. The Javelinas increased their winning streak to six straight dating back to 2004. Their last defeat in a season opener at home came against St. Mary's in 2003. This year was the first time the Blue and Gold began at home in four years.
 
Opening Series
The Javelinas improved to 31-25 all-time in their first series or tournament of a season with a doubleheader sweep of TAMUI. Last season TAMUK went 2-3 last season to begin the year at a tournament hosted by St. Mary's in San Antonio, Texas.
 
LSC Preseason Poll
Texas A&M-Kingsville was picked to finish eighth in the nine-team Lone Star Conference this year by head coaches, sports information directors and various media members and sports information directors. Last season the Javelinas were also picked eighth when the conference consisted of eight programs. This is the second time in three years the Blue and Gold have been picked to finish next to last in the LSC.
 
Live stats will be available for the games with links on the softball schedule page.
 
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