KINGSVILLE, Texas (Softball) – Texas A&M-Kingsville (16-26-1) split a doubleheader on Friday at Vernie and Blanche Hubert Field with Midwestern State (23-23, 10-16 LSC) in the final Lone Star Conference series of the season for both teams. The Mustangs took the series opener 7-5 and the Javelinas responded with an 8-5 victory in game two. With the loss in the second contest, MSU has officially been eliminated from qualifying for the conference tournament.
Valerie Ramirez went 5-for-8 over the two games with five RBI, two steals and a triple.
Rachael Longoria hit three sacrifice flies and drove in four. Both
Haley Boyett and
Ariel Kellogg scored three times each.
Taking the decision in both games for TAMUK was
Karri Smith (7-15). Earning the victory in game one out of the bullpen was Erin Knox (8-7) while Katlyn Holmes (9-9) suffered the defeat in the night cap.
Game 1A walk and stolen base by Boyett started the Blue and Gold's first time at the plate. After a ground out moved her to third, Ramirez sent the ball through the right side for a RBI single.
Katy Vandewater led off the next half inning by driving a 2-1 offering over the left center field fence to tie the game 1-1.
With one out,
Stephanie Lugo was able to draw a walk. She swiped second and
Corinne Brassell followed with another free pass. Boyett was plunked on the fourth pitch of her at bat to load the bases and forced a MSU pitching change.
Longoria flew out to right on the first pitch she saw to put TAMUK back up in front 2-1.
Small ball from the Mustangs tallied a run in the top of the third that was capped off Katie Vinson's RBI single. The run knotted the score for the second time in the game.
The Blue and Gold threatened in the bottom of the frame by getting two in scoring position. However, base running mistakes prevented anyone from scoring.
A RBI double from Erin Knox gave MSU their first lead of the game in the fourth. Chelsey Wall followed with a two-run home run to center two pitches later to put the visitors up by three.
Lugo started the next half inning with a single to right and Brassell drew her second free pass of the contest. They both moved into scoring position on a ground out to first. Longoria then drove the first pitch at the dish to center for her second sac fly and cut the Javelians' deficit to 5-3.
An inning later,
Jaeleen Castro sent an offering back up the middle for a base knock. She then swiped second to put herself in scoring position without a throw from the catcher. The no-throw hurt MSU when Smith blooped a single down the left field line for a RBI.
Five straight singles to start the sixth ended up plating two and increased the Mustangs' advantage to 7-4.
Ramirez blooped a single down the right line for a RBI and final run of the game in the next half inning.
Ending the contest 3-for-4 with two RBi and two steals was Ramirez. Also swiping two bags was Boyett while Castro had a steal. Both Boyett and Lugo came around to score twice. The two sac flies by Longoria tied the school's single game record that was set by Jennifer Moffett at St. Edward's on Mar. 25, 2000.
Smith went the distance for the 19th time this season. She struck out two but gave up seven runs on 12 hits.
Game 2The visitors struck first the first time they had a bat in their hands when Vandewater laced a single to right. MSU tack on one more in the second to take a 2-0 lead.
Isabel Flores led off the bottom of the third with a rocket off the third baseman's glove for an infield hit. Brassell followed by blooping a single down the right field line to put runners on the corners. A high fly ball fell hit by Kellogg fell in front of the diving center field to plate a run.
Boyett then hit a line shot to center to load the bases. Longoria took advantage with her third sac fly of the day to tie the game. Ramirez added a RBI single back up the middle to put the Blue and Gold in the lead.
Two batters later, Castro sent a 1-1 pitch to left center for a double to plate two and give TAMUK a 5-2 advantage.
A single that drove in two from Kelley Schaefer cut the Javelinas' lead to one in the next half inning.
Flores started the bottom half of the fourth with a single to center. She was out on the next play when Brassell hit into a fielder's choice. A one-handed bunt by Kellogg resulted in a single to put two on base. After Boyett reached on another fielder's choice, Longoria laced the first pitch she saw through the left side to plate a run.
The Mustangs nearly scored in the top of the fifth but Castro made a diving stop on a single to left. She threw in to Ramirez, who then gunned the runner out at the plate to end the inning.
They were able to score once in the sixth when Vandewater ripped a double just past a diving Ramirez to make it 6-5 in favor of the Blue and Gold.
In the bottom of the inning, two insurance runs were added on a triple off the bat of Ramirez to right center.
Kellogg matched her career-high with three hits and three runs. Flores went 2-for-3 and Boyett was 2-of-4 as both scored a run. Ramirez finished the contest 2-for-4 with a game-high three RBI and a run.
For the fifth straight game, Smith tossed a complete game to give her 20 on the season. She recorded five strikeouts and surrendered five runs on 11 hits.
TAMUK concludes their season tomorrow with a doubleheader at 1 p.m. The team's three seniors will be honored after the second contest.
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