KINGSVILLE, Texas – The Texas A&M-Kingsville softball team (9-14) totaled 10 hits in both games of a doubleheader sweep over Houston-Victoria (19-12) Wednesday afternoon at Vernie and Blanche Hubert Field. Final scores were 7-0 and 4-3 as the Javelinas snapped a six-game winless skid.
Rachael Longoria put together a 4-for-7 performance at the plate while also scoring three times and driving in two runs. Ending the afternoon with three hits apiece were
Haley Boyett,
Stephanie Lugo,
Valerie Ramirez and
Karri Smith.
Picking up the wins in the circle were
Carlie Clark (3-3) and Smith (4-7), both tossing complete games. Savannah Crittenden (8-4) and Madison Garza (8-7) suffered the losses for the Jagaurs.
Game 1Two singles and a sacrifice bunt put two in scoring position for UHV in the first inning with two outs. A pitch got by Longoria but she recovered quick enough to flip the ball to Clark at the plate to tag the runner out.
Boyett and Longoria began the bottom half of the inning with back-to-back singles. The third straight single came off the bat of Ramirez while also plating the first run of the game. A double over the center fielders' head by
Loren Donaldson increased their lead to 2-0.
After a scoreless second, Longoria started the third with a single to right center. Two pitches later, Ramirez tripled to the right centerfield gap for a RBI. She was brought home two batters later on a sacrifice bunt courtesy of
Jaeleen Castro that saw the Blue and Gold go up by four.
The final three runs were tallied in the next frame. Two bases loaded walks were drawn by Castro and Lugo and in between them Clark was plunked to bring get a run the hard way.
At the plate, Longoria went 3-for-4 with three runs scored. Both Lugo and Ramirez had two hits in two at bats and plated two runs. Also recording a multi-hit game was Boyett with two base knocks.
Clark pitched here fourth complete game of the season and second shutout of the season. She struck out six and surrendered just five hits and a walk.
Game 2The Jaguars jumped out to an early 1-0 advantage in the first thanks to two errors by the Javelinas. Another run was tallied an inning later on a single by Lani Munoz.
Smith led off the next half inning with a double to left center that nearly left the park. A single by
Isabel Flores and free pass issued to Lugo loaded the bases for the top of the order.
They did not disappoint as Boyett sent a 3-1 offering back up the middle for a RBI single. Longoria then laced the very next pitch into the left centerfield gap to plate two and put TAMUK up 3-2.
An insurance run was added on a single from
Corinne Brassell in the third which turned out to be needed.
UHV cut their deficit to 4-3 when Crittenden laced a RBI single to center in the top of the fourth.
Over the final three frames, the Jaguars were able to get at least one runner into scoring position. However, they were unable to push the tying run across the plate thanks to Smith's pitching and timely defensive plays.
Smith had a great day at the plate and in the circle. She went 3-for-3 and scored once with the bat in her hand. With the ball, Smith threw her 10th complete game of the year with four strikeouts.
The Blue and Gold continue their homestand this weekend when Eastern New Mexico comes to town for a four-game series starting Friday at 5 p.m.
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