PORTALES, N.M. (Softball) – Texas A&M University-Kingsville (14-19, 6-10 LSC) swept Eastern New Mexico University (10-28, 3-17 LSC), 11-2, and, 19-17, Saturday to take all four games at Greyhound Softball Field. Game two featured six home runs, a single game record for the Javelina softball program.
Â
Lauren Oatman had a career day at the plate, concluding the doubleheader with a 6-for-7 performance from the dish. The outfielder notched her first collegiate home run early in game one and added another in game two. The Richland, Texas native had nine total RBI after tallying five in game one and four in the series finale.
Â
Lindsey Angelico and
Haley Boyett each had three hits on Saturday and
Rachael Longoria extended her multiple hit streak to nine games after following
Roxy Chapa's long ball with a souvenir of her own.
Â
Victoria Schoonard-Saborio's reached base safely streak is now 22 games after the freshman reached in both ballgames.
Carlie Clark is now 6-6 on the year after picking up a win in both Lone Star Conference affairs. The right-hander went 5.0 innings in the game one win and tossed 2.2 innings in relief in game two for the victory.
Â
Game OneFour batters went 2-for-3 for the Javelinas in the series clinching, run-ruled 11-2 victory.
Â
Oatman led the club with her first home run as a collegiate student-athlete and the outfielder drove in five, a season-high.
Â
Clark (5-6) struck out five in 5.0 innings as the right-hander tossed her second complete game of the season. Natasha Kissell (2-13) was tagged with the loss for the Greyhounds.
Â
The Javelinas scored early, beginning the game with two runs in the leadoff inning on two hits. Schoonard-Saborio doubled to left field with Boyett on first to bring in the speedy center fielder and Chapa followed with a double of her own to make it a 2-0 game in favor of the Hogs.
Â
Kingsville widened the gap to 5-0 with a two out, three-run blast off the bat of Oatman.
Alexei Gonzalez walked and
Myrissa Sanchez reached on an infield single to put runners on first and second. After ENMU registered the second out of the season, Oatman drove a 1-1 fastball to the stands, giving Texas A&M-Kingsville a 5-0 lead.
Â
After two scoreless innings, the Javelinas exploded for six runs in the top of the fifth, highlighted by Gonzalez and Oatman combining for four RBI. Six consecutive singles came from the batting order (Schoonard-Saborio-to-Sanchez). With two outs, Oatman singled through the right side, bringing in two more runs to give the Blue and Gold an 11-0 lead.
Â
Eastern New Mexico plated two in the bottom of the fifth but the Javelinas clinched the series with an 11-2 victory in game one.
Â
Game TwoThe offense continued to score at will as the Javelinas put on a home run derby of sorts, collecting six home runs in the 19-17 thrilling win as Texas A&M-Kingsville completed the four-game sweep of the Greyhounds.
Â
Oatman showcased all five tools and finished a triple short of the cycle after going 4-for-4 from the leadoff spot with four RBI, three runs, a walk and stolen base. Chapa was 2-for-5 with five ribbies, Angelico went 3-for-4 with four runs and two RBI and Boyett was 3-for-5 with three runs and two RBI. Every starter registered a hit and
Corinne Brassell and Schoonard-Saborio added multiple hits.
Â
Clark (6-6) improved to .500 after 2.2 innings out of the bullpen, while Kissell (2-14) was charged with the loss after the Hogs chased her for eight runs in 2.0 innings.
Â
Texas A&M-Kingsville got off to another quick start with four runs in the first, capped off by back-to-back jacks by Chapa and Longoria. Oatman led off the contest with a single to center field and Schoonard-Saborio's single put Boyett on second (reached on fielder's choice). On the first pitch, the freshman backstop (Chapa) gave the Javelinas a 3-0 lead and Longoria followed with a blast of her own.
Â
The runs continued to mount as Oatman drove in Angelico in the second for a 5-0 lead.
Â
The Greyhounds responded with eight runs in the second to take their first lead of the day, 8-5, but it would not last as Kingsville answered with five runs on five hits in the third. A leadoff walk to Longoria and infield single by Brassell was followed by a wild pitch that put runners in scoring position for Angelico. The left fielder and Oatman singled in runs and Boyett and Schoonard-Saborio followed with doubles to plate three (Schoonard-Saborio drove in two on her two-bagger) as TAMUK regained its lead, 10-8.
Â
ENMU took the lead in the bottom of the third, scoring four runs, but the resilient Hogs chipped away at their deficit in the fourth after a solo shot off the bat of Gonzalez made it a one-run ballgame in favor of the Greyhounds.
Â
Eastern New Mexico's lead would dissolve in the fifth as Angelico led off the frame with a bunt single and Oatman's second home run of the afternoon, a two-run shot to left, allowed the Hogs to regain their lead, 13-12. Moments later, Chapa added her second home run of the game, also a two-run shot, as Texas A&M-Kingsville held a 15-12 lead through 4.5.
Â
The back and forth contest continued in the bottom stanza as the Greyhounds scored four to take a 16-15 lead that Kingsville would again take over in the following half inning as the Javelinas scored three runs on two hits in the top of the sixth for a two-run cushion. Brassell led off the inning with a walk and
Delila Gillespie, who pinch ran for Brassell, scored on Angelico's triple to tie the game at 16-all. Oatman walked and stole second, putting runners in scoring position, and Boyett plated Angelico, giving the Javs a 17-16 lead. For good measure, Oatman hustled home on a wild pitch to add to TAMUK's lead.
Â
ENMU scored a run in the bottom frame that allowed Texas A&M-Kingsville to head into the final inning with a one-run lead. A huge insurance run came in on a solo blast by Brassell in the seventh and that was the final as Clark tossed a scoreless bottom of the seventh to give the Javelinas the back and forth contest, 19-17.
Â
A midweek doubleheader is scheduled for March 29 at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. as the Javelinas head to Texas A&M International University to take on the Dustdevils at the Dustdevils Softball Field.
Â
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.
Â