KINGSVILLE, Texas (Softball) – Pitching and hitting for Texas A&M Kingsville (11-14, 3-7 LSC) were on display in Friday's doubleheader sweep of Eastern New Mexico (15-15, 3-11 LSC) at Vernie and Blanche Hubert Field. The Javelinas took the first game 4-2 behind a complete game from
Carlie Clark and followed with an 11-10 walk-off victory on a
Jaeleen Castro single in the night cap.
Isabel Flores recorded five base knocks with two doubles. Adding four hits apiece were
Loren Donaldson,
Ariel Kellogg and
Valerie Ramirez. A team-high four runs was scored by
Haley Boyett and Kellogg came around thrice.
Earning the victories were
Bella Rosas (2-4) and Clark (4-3). Aja Secheslingloff (11-9) suffered the loss in both contests.
Game 1The Javelinas would strike first in their first time at bat that began on a single from Boyett. After she stole second, Ramirez laced a RBI double to left center. A base knock back up the middle by Flores put the Blue and Gold up 2-0.
Audrey Velasquez of the Zias laced a single that fell just inside of the left field line to plate a run in the third. ENMU then tied the game when a fielding error allowed a second run to score.
In the bottom of the fourth, TAMUK added a pair of runs on a couple of throwing errors by Eastern for the game-deciding runs.
Offensively for the Blue and Gold, Donaldson and Flores both went 2-for-3. Driving in a run each were Flores, Longoria and Ramirez while Boyett scored twice.
Clark went the distance for the fifth time this year. She struck out five and allowed two runs on six hits.
For the Zias they were led at the plate by Jaqueline Candelaria and Velasquez with two hit. Velasquez also plated a run. Finishing with a base knock each was Amanda Martinez and Morgan Green.
Secheslingloff struck out one as she went the distance in the circle. She surrendered nine hits and four runs on 87 pitches.
Game 2While the first contest was dominated by the pitchers, batters shined in the game two as the teams combined for 31 hits and 21 runs.
Eastern struck first with a three spot in the first. Two Javelina errors and an illegal pitch helped their cause. Kyra Sirag was credited with the only RBI of the frame on a groundout to Flores at second.
The Javelinas would not be deterred, answering with three of their own in the next half frame. Boyett started by drawing a walk and came around to score two pitches later on Ramirez's double to left center. Donaldson drove in a run when she reached on a throwing error with only one gone. TAMUK tied the game when Castro drew a bases loaded walk.
Five hits among the first six batters of the second gave Eastern two runs to go up 5-3.
The Hogs answered again in the bottom of the inning. Kellogg scored the first of her two runs of the contest on a fielder's choice by Ramirez. Although she got into a pickle trying to steal second, Boyett was able to streak home from third to knot the score.
ENMU tacked on a run in third and fourth. Susannah Chandler and Velasquez recorded back-to-back doubles in the fifth that saw two RBI credited to Velasquez and one to Chandler for a 10-5 advantage.
With one gone, Kellogg beat out a grounder to short for an infield hit. She then moved into scoring position when Boyett flew out to the centerfielder in right center. After a free pass to
Rachael Longoria, Ramirez ripped the first pitch she saw down the right field line to plate a run.
A second straight single was hit by Donaldson when the action got crazy. Longoria scored from second but the throw from the left fielder bounced off the catcher's shine guards. This allowed Ramirez, who was on first, to score. While trying to attempting to tag her out, Donaldson was heads up and reached third.
Flores then laced a 2-0 pitch into the left centerfield gap to drive in the fourth and final run of the frame for the Blue and Gold.
With one out in the bottom of the sixth, Kellogg laid down a bunt that was fielded by Eastern's pitcher. Her throw to first was way off the mark and went down into the corner in right. After all was said and done, Kellogg ended up on third. Boyett then sent a 3-2 pitch back up the middle to tie the contest 10-10.
The seventh inning was the only time the Javelinas took a lead in the game. After a quick out, Flores lined a ball to left field for a hit.
Stephanie Lugo followed by drawing a free pass to move Flores into scoring position. Castro sent the Blue and Gold faithful home happy when she drove the ball into left center to drive in the game-winning run.
Kellogg finished 3-for-3 at the plate and scored every time. Also coming away with three hits were Flores and Ramirez. Two RBI came off the bats of Castro, Donaldson and Ramirez while Boyett, Longoria and Donaldson scored twice apiece.
Smith started on the rubber for TAMUK but allowed 13 hits and 10 runs in 4.1 innings. Rosas came out of the bullpen and shutdown the Zias. She struck out one without giving up a run and just one hit.
Chandler led ENMU with three hits and four others recorded a multi-hit contest. Velasquez drove in three runs as well.
Kiana Zerr started but was lit up for three runs on four hits and two walks while recording just one out. Vanessa Ramirez went the next 5.2 innings with 11 hits, seven runs and five walks being credited to her line. A strikeout was recorded by Secheslingloff but she surrendered the game deciding score to suffer the defeat.
The teams conclude their series on Saturday with a twinbill starting at 12 p.m. on Strike Out Cancer Day. Live stats and video will be available for both games.
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