KINGSVILLE, Texas (Softball) –
Jaeleen Castro was a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate Friday for Texas A&M-Kingsville (14-21, 5-13 LSC) against Texas Women's (19-18-1, 11-6-1 LSC) at Vernie and Blanche Hubert Field. However, the Pioneers took both games by the scores of 7-4 and 8-0 in six innings.
All of Castro's hits were singles while she also scored once and drew a walk. Ended the day with four base knocks as well was
Rachael Longoria. She totaled three RBI and had team's lone extra base hit.
Tori Bice (12-9) picked up the wins in both games as she pitched all 13 innings.
Karri Smith (5-11) took the loss in game one and tagged with defeat in the second contest was
Bellas Rosas (4-6).
Game 1Haley Boyett started the bottom of the first off by drawing a walk and moved into scoring position with a stolen base. A single to left center off the bat of Longoria put the Blue and Gold up 1-0.
TWU responded with three runs in the top of the third. Two came on a RBI double by Kendra Sancet to right center.
Stephanie Lugo led off the Javelinas' half of the fourth with a walk. Castro followed with a bloop single down the left field line. After Smith hit a fly ball that was caught on the warning track,
Myrissa Sanchez laid down a bunt. The ball got by both the third baseman and pitcher and into a huge gap created when the shortstop covered third. This allowed Lugo to come around and score, cutting the deficit to 3-2.
In the sixth, Tealey Farquhar plated two on a triple to left center. A field error by TAMUK increased the Pioneers' advantage to 6-2.
Lugo started the bottom of the frame with a walk and Castro singled through the left side for her third single of the contest. Another free pass, this time to Smith, loaded the bases with no outs. Bice was able to induce two pop ups but Longoria ripped a two RBI single to center to make it a two-run game.
The next half inning saw the Pioneers's first three batters reach base. Smith struck the next two hitters out but Katy Stephens laced a single to right to tack on an insurance run.
Castro had a game-high three hits and Longoria added two base knocks with three RBI. Also getting on base by putting the ball in play were Lugo and Sanchez.
Smith went the distance for the 14th time this season. She struck out four but gave up seven runs on nine hits.
Farquhar and Stephens paced TWU with two hits apiece. Both Farquhar and Sancet plated two runs. In the circle, Bice had four strikeouts and surrendered four runs on seven hits and five walks.
Game 2TWU scored once the first time they were at the dish on a single by Alyssa Galaz. They added two more in the third on back-to-back singles.
Another run went up on the scoreboard for the Pioneers when the Blue and Gold committed two field errors. A two-run home run from Tylia Sylestine scored half of TWU's runs in the sixth to increase their advantage to 8-0.
The Javelinas got two on in both the first and second but were left stranded on each occurrence. The other chance the team had at scoring was when Longoria hit a two-out double in the fifth. She was left on base when the next batter flew out to center field.
Longoria led TAMUK with two hits while
Loren Donaldson and Castro had a base knock apiece.
Rosas threw a complete game with two strikeouts. She did give up eight runs on 11 hits.
Five Pioneers had two base knocks in the game. Sylestine drove in three runs and Alexis Elizondo, Galaz and Stephens each had a RBI.
In the circle, Bice allowed only four hits with a strikeout in the shutout.
The series continues Saturday afternoon with another doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.
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