KINGSVILLE, Texas – Morgan Hill threw six innings of one-hit ball to stifle the Texas A&M-Kingsville softball team in the Javelinas' home and Lone Star Conference opener and lead the No. 2 Angelo State Rambelles to a 7-3 win at Hubert Field on Friday night in Kingsville, Texas.
The Javelinas now own a record of 3-5 and are 0-1 in LSC play while Angelo State improves to 11-1 and 1-0 in the LSC.
The visitors greeted their hosts rudely, piling up four runs in the first inning to grab the early lead. Sarah Gilbert (1-3) got the first two hitters out, but a single and a walk put two runners on for Taegan Kirk and she poked a single through the right side for the game's first run. After a hit batter loaded the bases, Mykayla Stroud singled to left, driving in a pair and Mylonee Becerra followed with another hit, this one tallying Danae Bina for a 4-0 lead.
After Gilbert tossed scoreless ball in the second and third, singles by Madison Greenwell and Bailey Wallace brought up Karina Rocha and ASU's first sacker lined a double into the left field corner, scoring both runners to increase the visitors' lead to 6-0. That lead grew to 7-0 when Stroud clouted a solo homer in the seventh.
Meanwhile, Hill (7-1) was in control in the circle. Loren Kelly led-off the first with a bunt single, but that would be the last safety Angelo's freshman starter would concede. She retired the last 15 hitters she faced and left after the sixth having struck out nine while walking one.
TAMUK's offense found life in the seventh when Haley Boyett walked and advanced to third on a double by Roxy Chapa. Anastasia Leibas got the Javs on the board with an RBI single and Arabella Acosta-Cantu followed with another hit, this one pushing across two runs, but that would prove to be the last gasp for Kingsville, as Meagan Hill induced a groundout from Alexei Gonzalez to end the game.
Two games are on tap for Craig Nicholson's team on Saturday, as they'll battle the Rambelles first at 1 p.m. and again at 3 p.m. at Hubert Field. Javelina softball can be found on Twitter @TAMUKSB and fans can also like /JavelinaSports on Facebook and subscribe to the Javelina athletics YouTube channel.
