SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Two big innings was the difference in Thursday's doubleheader for the Texas A&M-Kingsville softball team (7-14) against ninth-ranked St. Mary's (20-7) at the Softball Stadium. The Rattlers took game one 8-0 in five innings and came away with a 7-2 victory in the second contest.
Corinne Brassell,
Loren Donaldson and
Isabel Flores all had two hits on the day. The Javelinas' runs were scored by
Stephanie Lugo and
Valerie Ramirez while Brassell recorded a RBI.
Receiving the losses were
Karri Smith (3-7) and
Bella Rosas (2-4). Vianna Gutierrez (11-3) and Hope Russell (9-4) picked up the wins in the circle for StMU. Also earning her first save of the season was Kristi Rangel.
Game 1The scoring began for the Rattlers in the third inning when they had runners on the corners and pulled off a double steal attempt. The runner on first was thrown out but the StMU player on thrid scored on the throw. They then followed with a seven-run fourth on four hits and a TAMUK error.
Gutierrez kept the Blue and Gold off balance for most of the game. That lasted until Flores led off the fifth with a single to right. Two batters later, Lugo roped a single into left field for a base knock but was thrown out trying to stretch it to a double.
Smith went 3.1 innings but surrendered eight runs on five hits and two walks. Rosas allowed a hit as she got the final two outs for the Javelinas.
Game 2Four runs were scored by StMU the first time they came to the plate. The Rattler tacked on another run in the third to take a 5-0 lead.
Ramirez began the fourth inning by drawing. Donaldson then roped a single to right that put runners on the corners. A successful double steal put the Blue and Gold on the scoreboard.
Brassell plated the second run of the frame by sending a 0-1 pitch back up the middle for a base knock and make it a two-run contest
However, that was as close as they would get the rest of the way. StMU scored twice in the sixth for the final runs.
Pacing the team with two hits apiece were Brassell and Donaldson.
Rosas started the game and struck out one. She lasted only one inning, giving up four runs off of four hits.
Carlie Clark came on and tossed the final 5.0 innings but allowed three runs on four hits and five walks.
TAMUK returns home for the first time in 17 days on Wednesday with a twinbill against Houston-Victoria. First pitch will occur at 3 p.m. on Vernie and Blanche Hubert Field.
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