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PORTALES, N.M. (Softball) – Texas A&M University-Kingsville (12-19, 4-10 LSC) defeated Eastern New Mexico University (10-26, 3-15 LSC) 8-5, and 4-1 on the opening day of a four-game series at Greyhound Softball Field.
 
Alexei Gonzalez went 5-for-8 Friday and recorded her first three-hit game in game two. Haley Boyett had a strong outing in Friday's doubleheader, going 4-for-6 at the plate.  
 
Game One
Boyett (2-3), Lindsey Angelico (2-3), and Gonzalez (2-4) each recorded multiple hits in the opening game of the four-game series as the Javelinas defeated the Greyhounds 8-5.
 
Boyett, along with Lauren Oatman (1-3) and Victoria Schoonard-Saborio (1-3) each recorded two RBI.
 
Karri Smith improves to 4-6 in 2016 after tossing her fourth complete game of the season. Kiana Zerr moves to 2-9 for the Greyhounds after allowing eight runs in seven innings.  
 
In the top of the second, the Javelinas struck for two runs on three consecutive doubles by Gonzalez, Angelico and Oatman, respectively. The three doubles cut the Greyhounds lead to 3-2.
 
After singles by Gonzalez, Sanchez and Angelico opened the fourth inning, Boyett singled to right field to plate two runners as the Javelinas took their first lead of the game 4-3. Schoonard-Saborio followed Boyett's single with the teams fourth double of the day, bringing in two more runs. Rachael Longoria connected for another Javs single to left field, to score Schoonard-Saborio and increase their lead to 7-3. TAMUK scored five runs on six hits in the top of the fourth inning.
 
Eastern New Mexico scored two runs in the bottom frame to make it a two run ballgame.
 
Both teams matched zeros in the fifth and sixth innings. Smith picked up her first hit of the series with yet another Javelina double in the top of the seventh. Roxy Chapa scored an unearned run extending Texas A&M-Kingsville lead to three runs and that would be the final as the Javelinas took the series opener 8-5.
 
Game Two
Oatman and Gonzalez both went 3-for-4 at the plate and Boyett had another 2-for-3 performance at the dish as Kingsville swept Friday's doubleheader with a 4-1 victory in game two.
 
Sarah Gilbert (3-4) picked up her third win this season after allowing just one run in 6.1 innings, while Natasha Kissell fell to 2-12 in 2016.  
 
It was a pitcher's duel early on as the game was scoreless through the first five innings.
 
That all changed when Gonzalez (3-4) came across to score on Angelico's single in the sixth to give the Javelinas a 1-0 lead. Oatman (3-4) picked up her second three-hit game of the season with an RBI single, and Angelico touched home plate on Boyett's sacrifice fly. Schoonard-Saborio extended her reached base safely streak to 20 games after driving in TAMUK's fourth run of the inning.
 
The Greyhounds scored a run in the seventh, but Gilbert shut the door on ENMU's comeback hops as the Hogs took game two 4-1.
 
The Javelinas will resume play against the Greyhounds tomorrow at 1 and 3 p.m. CT at the Greyhounds Softball Field.  
 
For full coverage of Texas A&M-Kingsville softball, please follow @TAMUKSB on Twitter and Instagram, like the official Facebook page of Javelina athletics (/JavelinaSports), and subscribe to the JavelinaAthletics YouTube channel.