KINGSVILLE, Texas (Softball) – Texas A&M University-Kingsville (13-11, 5-6 LSC) dropped a pair of heartbreakers (2-1, 7-4) on Tuesday night to Oklahoma Christian University (19-9, 3-0 Heartland Conference) at Vernie and Blanche Hubert Field.

Texas A&M-Kingsville took Oklahoma Christian to extra innings in the first game but fell 2-1 before seeing a win snatched away in game two behind a grand slam in the top of the seventh inning.

Arabella Acosta-Cantu led the club with a .500 batting average and two RBIs. Haley Boyett produced her sixth multiple hit game this season and batted .429 for the series. Victoria Schoonard-Saborio ended the series with a .400 average, while Randa Hatter and Lauren Oatman each batted .300.

Game 1
Oklahoma Christian scored the first run of the game with a single from Niki Davidson that crossed Sheridan Bond who reached on a walk in the third inning. The Javelinas responded quickly though, as Hatter doubled down the right field line to send home Longoria who reached on a free pass in the bottom stanza.

Both teams was scoreless for the next four innings, forcing the clubs to go into extras, using the international tie breaker rule. In the top of the eighth inning with Bond on second base, Haley Squire drove the runner home with a single to center field. The Hogs threatened in the bottom frame with pinch runner Lindsey Angelico on third base after a sac bunt, but unfortunately with two outs, Sarah Gilbert went down swinging and the Javelinas fell 2-1.

Hatter got the start, giving up four hits and sitting down four batters in 5.0 innings. Gilbert (3-1) came in as relief and struck out one batter per inning but earned the final run, handing the junior her first loss of the season. Madison Hagood improves to 9-4 in the circle after fanning nine batters and walked one. 

Game 2
OCU scored first again in the third inning, starting with a single up the middle from Bond. Madison Nordyke singled through the right side and both stole second and third base, respectively, to get in scoring position. Squier and N. Davidson were walked to load the bags and N. Davidson was credited with a RBI that scored Bond. The Javelinas switched it up in the circle and brought in Breanna Smith, but Bridget White kept the Eagles bats hot with a single to plate Nordyke for a 2-0 lead. 

The Javelinas stormed back in the fifth inning and scored three runs with two outs. Hatter and Chapa both singled to center field and Acosta-Cantu tied the game with her two-RBI double down the left field line. The second baseman was then rewarded by Boyett who doubled to left field to send her home for a 4-2 lead.

With the momentum on the Hogs side heading to the final inning, the Eagles caught fire with five consecutive hits with the fifth being a lethal grand slam from Kaylie Upton, giving the visiting club a 7-4 lead. The Hogs had their rally caps on in the bottom frame, but could only muster back-to-back singles to start the inning before Hagood retired the next three batters for the rare softball save. 

Nordyke (4-4) did much of the leg work for the Eagles and threw 4.2 innings where she gave up eight hits and allowed three runs. Upton (5-0) remains unblemished with the win after pitching 1.1 innings, relinquishing just two hits and no earned runs. 

Gilbert got the nod for the start and tossed 2.1 innings, where she permitted two earned runs on three hits. Smith (6-5) was credited the loss after five runs crossed the plate on nine hits. Both Gilbert and Smith each struck out four batters.

After seeing her hitting streak come to a halt in the first game, Boyett went 3-for-4 at the plate in game two, while Acosta-Cantu and Chapa each tallied two hits.  

The Blue and Gold will head out to Stephensville, Texas this weekend to square off against Tarleton State. 

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