KINGSVILLE, Texas (Softball) – Texas A&M University-Kingsville (6-5, 1-3 LSC) gave the fans much to look forward to on fan appreciation night by defeating Midwestern State University (9-9, 2-2 LSC) 9-1 in five innings to capture its first Lone Star Conference win of the season Friday evening at Vernie and Blanche Hubert Field.

Texas A&M-Kingsville batted .500 overall in the series opener with a perfect 4-of-4 and 3-of-3 from Haley Boyett and Randa Hatter, respectively. Boyett paced the club with three RBIs while Hatter tied Racheal Longoria and Victoria Schoonard-Saborio with two runs scored. Along with Longoria and Schoonard-Saborio, Roxy Chapa, Alexei Gonzalez, Arabella Acosta-Cantu and Amanda Thacker all finished the game with one hit.

Carlie Clark (2-0) threw her first complete game of the season to pick up her second win after striking out four batters of the 16 she faced. Erin Knox moves to 3-4 this year after pitching just one inning where she gave up three runs and walked two batters. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

Things started fast offensively for the Hogs as they loaded the bases with no outs after walking Longoria and Hatter, sandwiched by a single from Schoonard-Saborio. Chapa then singled from the clean-up spot to center field and advanced to second on an error from left field to plate Longoria and Schoonard-Saborio. Moments later, Boyett picked up the third hit of the opening inning and crossed Hatter for a 3-0 start. 

TAMUK kept things rolling in the second inning with four runs on four hits to take a commanding 7-0 lead. 

In the top of the forth inning Midwestern State loaded the bases with a walk and two singles. With one out, Taylor Mordecai broke up the shutout with a sac fly to left field that scored Taylor Bermudes for the lone Mustang run. The Hogs responded in the bottom half inning when Acosta-Cantu hit an RBI single to cross Boyett, making the score 8-1.

With the score still 8-1 in the fifth inning, the Javelinas loaded the bases with a lead-off double from Hatter, a walk from Chapa and a clutch pinch hit from Thacker. Following Thacker, Boyett crushed the first pitched over the left fielder's head to send Abigail Mangold home—who pinch ran for Hatter—for the walk-off victory.

The series continues with a double-dip tomorrow beginning at 1 p.m. 

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.