DENTON, Texas – Senior Sarah Gilbert (Chipley, Fla.) threw seven sparkling innings of shutout ball for the Texas A&M-Kingsville softball team in a 3-0 victory over the Texas Woman's University Pioneers on Saturday evening at Pioneer Field in Denton, Texas in the first game of a doubleheader. The Pioneers took game two, 8-5.

This split puts the Javelinas at 14-9 and their conference record is 7-5. TWU owns marks of 13-8 and 5-4.

GAME ONE

The Javelina took the first game of the twin bill on the strength of Gilbert's arm. The senior need just 83 pitches to fire her second complete game of the season. She allowed only five hits while walking one and striking out five. At one point, she set down 10 in-a-row. Gilbert has now permitted just two earned runs in her last 34.1 innings.

Junior Lauren Oatman (Fort Worth, Texas) provided Gilbert with a lead in the second inning, when, after a single by senior Haley Boyett (Waco, Texas) and a walk to senior Alexei Gonzalez (Corpus Christi, Texas), Oatman ripped a double to left-center. Both runners came across as the Javs moved ahead 2-0.

Insurance for Craig Nicholson and his Javelinas came in the fifth inning, when junior Victoria Schoonard-Saborio (Elk Grove, Calif.) lifted a 3-2 pitch over the wall in left. Her second bomb of the season put TWU in a 3-0 hole they were unable to dig out of.

GAME TWO

In the nightcap, a pair of early Pioneer rallies put the Javelinas behind the eight ball. The first inning began with a single by Lindy Kennedy and a walk to Tylia Sylestine. Hazel Puempel singled in the game's first run and, after another hit loaded the bases, Jordan Kisselburg drove in her team's second run. One batter later, Puempel scored on a groundout and TWU had a 3-0 advantage.

In the third frame, Kisselburg ignited another rally with a single and a steal. Raegyn Parrish then drew a walk and MaKayla Cook upped the Pioneer lead to 4-0 by slapping a run-scoring single through the left side. After another free pass packed the bags, an error plated Alexa Neifert and Sylestine's first hit of the day knocked in two runs, making the score 7-0. Kennedy scored her team's eighth run moments later on a passed ball.

The Javelinas immediately mounted a comeback effort, scoring three times in the top of the fourth. Consecutive errors led to the first run and put Boyett on second. Gonzalez punched a single into center for TAMUK's second run and a sacrifice fly by junior Arabella Acosta-Cantu (Corpus Christi, Texas) brought in Gonzalez and the Javs had closed to within five.

Two more runs for the visitors came in the fifth. Junior Roxy Chapa (McAllen, Texas) and Schoonard-Saborio set the table with consecutive singles and freshman Anastasia Leibas (Del Valle, Texas) cashed in one run with a single and an error allowed Schoonard-Saborio to touch home as well.

Despite cutting the deficit to three, the last two innings didn't yield anything for the TAMUK attack. Cheyenne Mahy picked up the win by throwing the last four frames, including the final two without permitting a hit.

On Monday, the Javs will travel to Magnolia, Ark. for two contests with Southern Arkansas. The scheduled start times are 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. To keep up with the Javelinas all season long, visit Javelinaathletics.com, follow @TAMUKSB on Twitter, like /JavelinaSports on Facebook and subscribe to the Javelina athletics YouTube channel.