KINGSVILLE, Texas (Softball) – The Javelinas treated the fans at Vernie and Blanche Hubert Field to free softball in their season opener but could not come away with the come from behind victory, falling to Texas A&M International University (5-5), 6-5, in an eight-inning ballgame in game one Tuesday. Texas A&M University-Kingsville's (0-2)
Sarah Gilbert (0-1) threw a complete game in her first appearance as a Javelina in game two, but the Hogs fell to the Dustdevils, 3-0.
Haley Boyett went 3-for-4 with a run scored in game one and relief pitcher
Carlie Clark forced extras with a two-out, RBI single in the seventh off game two starter Krystal De La Cruz. De La Cruz improved to 4-0 with two victories Tuesday.
Game OneThe Javelinas tied the game three times before falling in eight innings, 6-5. After the Dustdevils put a run up in the first,
Lindsey Angelico, who led off the inning with a walk, came around to score on a sacrifice fly by
Roxy Chapa, knotting the game up at 1-1. Texas A&M International took a 2-1 lead in the second before Angelico, who this time led off the third with an infield single, scored on
Victoria Schoonard-Saborio's single up the middle to tie the game at 2-2.
TAMIU tagged TAMUK for two runs in the fourth and one in the fifth to take a three-run lead, but a three-hit fifth by the Hogs cut their deficit to one. Boyett and Chapa singled and Schoonard-Saborio was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out. Starting pitcher
Karri Smith plated two on a single through the right side, and in the seventh, Clark's single tied the game at 5-5, forcing extras.
International was able to score in the eighth to take game one. De La Cruz (4-0) earned the win despite the blown save, going 2.0 scoreless innings. Clark (0-1) was charged with the loss after striking out two and allowing a run in 3.0 innings of work. Smith earned the no-decision after 5.0 innings.
Game TwoOffense was at a premium in game two, but De La Cruz dominated her way to a 3-0 shutout victory with four punchouts. To her credit, Gilbert was exceptional in the circle for the Hogs, ending her evening with three strikeouts in a complete game performance. The meat of the Javelina order picked up the pair of hits with Chapa and Schoonard-Saborio each concluding game two 1-for-2.
Gilbert matched De La Cruz and Vernie and Blanche Hubert Field was the sight of a pitching duel, with zero's up on the scoreboard through four. The Dustdevils scored a run in the fifth, sixth and added a bit of a cushion in the seventh to earn a 3-0 victory and improve to .500 in 2016.
The Emerald Beach Hotel Javelina Softball Invitational begins Thursday, Feb. 11 with the Hogs taking on Southwestern Oklahoma State at 4 p.m.
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