KINGSVILLE, Texas (Softball) – In its final home doubleheader of 2016, Texas A&M University-Kingsville (21-30, 10-18 LSC) gave the Javelina faithful a great show as the Hogs salvaged a split Saturday at Vernie and Blanch Hubert Field, falling to Tarleton State University (26-25, 9-19), 8-5, in eight innings in game one before clinching the series victory with a 6-1 win in game two.
 
With the win, the Javelinas took the season series over the TexAnns for the first time since April 1-2, 2005. The victory also keeps Kingsville in the Lone Star Conference playoff hunt as the Hogs are a game behind next week's opponent Midwestern State University for sixth place. The top six teams advance to the 2016 LSC Tournament at West Texas A&M University.
 
Roxy Chapa finished Saturday's doubleheader 6-for-7 with four doubles and a two-run home run. Chapa went 4-for-4 with three RBI and four doubles in game one, a new school single-game record. She followed with a 2-for-3 performance at the plate with two runs, a two-run home run and three RBI. The home run was her 10^th of the season, just one behind the all-time school record. The freshman backstop drove in six on Saturday to up her season total to 52, the most in a single season. The previous record was 49, set by Marquesha Torres at 2006. For the series, Chapa hit .733 with 11 RBI, five doubles and five runs.
 
Victoria Schoonard-Saborio went 3-for-4 with three runs scored in game one and added a double in game two. She concludes the series 7-for-15. Karri Smith and Carlie Clark tossed back-to-back complete games. Clark struck out five in 7.0 innings in the 6-1 victory.
 
Game One
Chapa was perfect at the dish, going 4-for-4 with four doubles in the extra-inning affair that ultimately went to Tarleton State, 8-5, in eight innings.
 
Schoonard-Saborio (3-for-4) recorded another multiple hit game with two singles and a double and Haley Boyett had two hits in five plate appearances. Myrissa Sanchez and Lauren Oatman added singles.
 
Smith (6-11) was charged with the loss after tossing her second consecutive complete game. Smith finished with three punchouts in 8.0 innings. Haley Freyman improved to 21-17 after 4.0 innings in relief.
 
Tarleton State struck first with a run in the opening inning. The Javelinas responded with two runs in the bottom frame on a two-run double off the bat of Chapa to take a 2-1 lead.
 
The TexAnns scored two runs in the second to regain the lead, this time a 3-2 edge, but the resilient Hogs knotted the game at 3-3 in the third with Chapa's second RBI double of the game.
 
Tarleton State scored two in the fifth to take a 5-3 lead but the Javelinas added two more runs in the bottom stanza to tie the game at 5-all on Chapa's third double of the afternoon.
 
For the second consecutive game, TAMUK and TSU needed extra innings to decide a winner and in the top of the eight, the TexAnns scored three runs to take an 8-5 lead to escape with a victory.
 
Game Two
McAllen native Chapa continued her streaky hitting, tallying two hits in three at bats with three RBI in the 6-1 series-clinching win over Tarleton State.
 
Boyett and Lindsey Angelico finished game two with two hits apiece, while Longoria, Schoonard-Saborio and Gonzalez all went 1-for-3 at the plate.
 
Clark tossed her sixth complete game of 2016, registering five strikeouts in 7.0 innings to improve to 9-10. Shelby Hendrick (3-4) was charged the loss after giving up six runs in 3.0 innings.
 
The Javelinas trailed early as Tarleton State took an early 1-0 lead in the first but Chapa responded with a two-run missile in the bottom frame to give TAMUK a 2-1 lead.
 
That was all Clark needed as the right-hander held TSU scoreless for the remainder of the game and Kingsville took game two and the series with a 6-1 victory.
 
A big third inning plated four to extend TAMUK's lead to five, highlighted by Gonzalez's two-run single.
 
Saturday's series win sets the stage for the four-game series against Midwestern State April 22-23 for the final seed to enter the Lone Star Conference Tournament.   
 
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.