KINGSVILLE, Texas – After a difficult weekend against the No. 2 team in the nation, the Texas A&M-Kingsville softball team is set to get back on the diamond on Tuesday for a doubleheader against Texas A&M International at Hubert Field with the first game set for 4 p.m. and the second one scheduled for 6 p.m.
This twin bill against the Dustdevils will give the Javelinas a chance to snap a seven-game losing streak that's included four games against ranked teams and two more versus a Central Oklahoma squad that's receiving votes nationally. Coach Craig Nicholson will be hoping to see his team return to the form they showed in the first three games on their schedule, all of which went down as victories. One of those wins came at the expense of the Bronchos, thanks in large part to seven innings of one run ball from Breanna Smith.
Roxy Chapa has gotten off to the best start at the plate for the Javelinas, as evidenced by her .371 batting average. Chapa has totaled five multi-hit games while starting every contest for the Hoggies. She's also shown a propensity for making contact so far this season, as Chapa has struck out just three times and has yet to draw a walk in 2018.
The Dustdevils (3-13) have had a difficult start to the season and they enter Tuesday having lost six out of seven. Their schedule also pitted them against Angelo State and they also faced No. 13 West Texas A&M twice. TAMIU will be trying to find success away from home for the first time this season as their road record currently stands at 0-5. In their three wins, it's been A&M International's offense that's been the catalyst, totaling 40 runs in those ballgames.
Five players on coach Scott Libby's roster are currently batting over .300, with the team's highest average belonging to Cassie Cannon. A native of Kingsville, Cannon is hitting .375 and her 21 hits and 11 runs scored are the best on the roster. Maddison Schofield, who owns an average of .340, stands as the squad's best run producer with 12 RBIs, Melanie Gamboa leads TAMIU with a .436 on-base percentage and Lindsey Smith has totaled a team-high five steals without being caught.
Two of the first three losses the Dustdevils suffered this season came at the hands of the Javelinas, who started their schedule on International's home field at the TAMIU Softball Classic. Sarah Gilbert was the star of the Hoggies' first victory throwing a complete game without allowing an earned run and striking out seven. The second time the squads met, Rachael Longoria's three-run, sixth inning round-tripper capped a six-run rally that erased a three-run deficit and helped secure a 7-4 win. Those victories added to what now stands as a 27-16 advantage that TAMUK holds in the all-time series between the programs.
For full coverage of Tuesday's games, including live video and a postgame story, visit Javelinaathletics.com. To keep you with the team all year, check out Javelina softball on Twitter @TAMUKSB and fans can also like /JavelinaSports on Facebook and subscribe to the Javelina athletics YouTube channel.
