KINGSVILLE, Texas – Behind the arm of Breanna Smith and home runs by Anastasia Leibas and Roxy Chapa, the Texas A&M-Kingsville softball team swept a doubleheader with the Texas A&M International Dustdevils by scores of 3-2 and 5-1 at Hubert Field on Tuesday evening in Kingsville, Texas.
These two victories up the Javelinas' record to 5-7. The Dustdevils now stand at 3-15.
GAME ONE
Starting pitchers Delainy Thompson (1-4) and Sarah Gilbert kept the scoreboard clean for the first two innings before TAMIU a single by Cassie Cannon, a bunt and a single by Maya Paul produced the day's first run.
TAMUK stole the lead in the fourth, courtesy of Leibas's first circuit clout of the season, which she deposited over the left field wall. The Javelina lead was short-lived however, as another Cannon single sparked a rally for the Dustdevils in the fifth. After reaching first, a groundout and another knock moved her to third and Paul drove in her second run of the game with an RBI single.
Kingsville retook the lead in the sixth, thanks to a single by Leibas and a double by Rachael Longoria. Smith, who relieved Gilbert in the sixth, preserved that advantage by retiring the side in order in the final frame, and in doing so picked up her first of two wins on the day.
GAME TWO
The Dustdevils grabbed the early lead in the second game when Cannon started the contest by reaching on an error, Melanie Gamboa walked and a groundout combined with an error tallied Cannon for a 1-0 edge.
Chapa supplied TAMUK's answer in the bottom half of the frame, ripping a two-run homer down the left field line off Sara Caterson (2-2), her third long ball of the season. That wasn't all for the Javs in the first, however. Two safeties and a walk loaded the bases for Longoria. The senior lifted a soft fly to shallow left that Lindsey Smith dropped and then threw away, allowing all three baserunners to touch home, boosting Kingsville's lead to four runs.
Thanks to Smith's (4-3) pitching, the Dustdevils never had a chance to get back into the game. She completed her start and shutout TAMIU after their unearned run in the first, allowing only six hits, walking one and striking out five. Smith's last two runs of support came in the fourth, when Arabella Acosta-Cantu scored on a wild pitch and Victoria Schoonard-Saborio drove in Lauren Oatman with an infield single.
The Javelinas now have .500 in sight and they'll have an opportunity to reach that mark when they travel to Midwestern State on Friday for a doubleheader with the Mustangs, beginning at 5 p.m. Javelina softball can be found on Twitter @TAMUKSB and fans can also like /JavelinaSports on Facebook and subscribe to the Javelina athletics YouTube channel.
