KINGSVILLE, Texas (Softball) – Texas A&M University-Kingsville (25-23, 12-13 LSC) closed out its non-conference schedule with a bang as they swept Texas A&M International University (17-31, 11-7 Heartland Conference) for the second time this year, 3-0 and 6-3 on Tuesday evening at Vernie and Blanche Hubert Field.

The Javelinas have now taken six of the last seven meetings between the two clubs including all four in the 2017 campaign. Randa Hatter led the team with a .750 batting average and tied Roxy Chapa (.500) with two RBIs. Both trailed the woman of the night, Lauren Oatman, who demolished a ball over the left field wall for a three-run shot in game two to seal the win. It was Oatman's first home run of the season and it came on her birthday. Other standout performances of the series consist of Alexei Gonzalez who batted .500, Haley Boyett (.400) and Rachael Longoria (.333) who both had team-highs of two runs scored.  

Game 1
Breanna Smith (10-7) picked up her tenth victory of the season after tossing three strikeouts in six innings in the shutout win.

Chapa drove in Longoria for the first run of the game with a blooper to left center field in the opening inning. Longoria was walked and advanced around the bags on a SAC bunt from Victoria Schoonard-Saborio and a wild pitch before scoring. 

The Javelinas did not see there next run cross home plate until the fifth inning. Hatter was walked to start the frame and Abigail Mangold pinch ran for the designated player. Mangold took the opportunity to showcase her speed as she sprinted from first to home thanks to a stand-up double to right field from  Arabella Acosta-Cantu. TAMUK added the final run in the sixth as Chapa brought Boyett home for her second RBI of the game. Hatter closed the Dustdevils out in the top of the seventh stanza, where she struck out two batters and walked one to complete the rare softball save.

Torri Carrion pitched a complete game but fell to 0-5 in the circle this year after throwing four Ks, permitting six walks, and earning all three of the Javelina runs.

Along with Chapa, Gonzalez tallied two hits, while Longoria, Hatter, Boyett and Acosta-Cantu finished with one hit in the shutout win. 

Game 2
The Hoggies kept things rolling from the previous game. Longoria led off the first inning with a single, Schoonard-Saborio walked and Hatter plated Longoria with a strike up the middle. Delila Gillespie then reached on a Dustdevils error and claimed a RBI as Schoonard-Saborio crossed home plate for a 2-0 lead.

TAIMU scored one run in the top of the fifth inning, however, TAMUK exploded in the bottom and scored four runs on four hits. Hatter gave the first blow— a solo shot for No. 6 of the season and moments later, a three-run bomb from pinch hitter and birthday girl, Lauren Oatman, put the Javs in a commanding 6-1 position.

In the sixth inning, Robi Kami singled to left field to score pinch runner Taylor Vines, but the Javs would not allowed them to get any closer as Sarah Gilbert and the defense shut the rally down in the top of the seventh for a 6-3 victory. 

Gilbert improves her record to 7-3 on the rubber this year and fanned four batters with no walks in her fourth complete game of the season. Sarah Sandoval (0-1) was charged with the loss as she threw three strikeouts, walked two batters and earned all six runs in six innings. 

Hatter and Gillespie both batted 1.000 in the game and Hatter chipped in two RBIs. Gonzalez, Boyett, Longoria and of course Oatman all recorded one hit.

The Hogs season finale will be a LSC three-game series against Western New Mexico beginning with a 6 p.m. tile on Friday, April 28. Before the doubleheader on Saturday, the Javelinas will honor their lone senior, Carlie Clark.

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