KINGSVILLE, Texas – Senior Sarah Gilbert (Chipley, Fla.) tossed seven innings of one run ball while totaling seven strikeouts, leading the Texas A&M-Kingsville softball team past the Oklahoma Christian University Eagles in game two of a doubleheader at Hubert Field in Kingsville, Texas on Monday evening. The Eagles took game one, 1-0.
This split puts the Javelinas back to two games over .500 at 17-15. Oklahoma Christian now has an even record at 16-16.
"I think [the win in game two] was very important," said coach Craig Nicholson, "just to build some momentum for this weekend. We played pretty well all day long, we just left some opportunities on the table, especially in the first game, but it was important for us to get a win."
GAME ONE
The opener was a classic pitcher's duel that pitted sophomore Breanna Smith (San Antonio, Texas) against Kaylie Upton. Through five innings, Smith had allowed just two hits, one of which was erased on a double play, and she sent the Eagles down in order twice.
Upton, on the other hand, gave up five hits in the first five frames, but the Javelinas were unable to capitalize on the opportunities. The closest the Javs came to scoring was in the third, when they put runners on second and third with one out, but when freshman Anastasia Leibas (Del Valle, Texas) hit a fly to left-center, senior Alexei Gonzalez (Corpus Christi, Texas) was thrown out at the plate.
The only run of the game was produced by a rally that began when Sheridan Fuller reached on an error. Fuller touched second when Madison Nordyke reached on a fielder's choice and she took third on a deep fly to right by Bailey Strecker. When junior Roxy Chapa (McAllen, Texas) committed another error during the following at-bat, Fuller scooted home with the game's first run. TAMUK had one final chance in the seventh with runners on second and third and one out, but a strikeout and a groundout clinched the win for the Eagles.
GAME TWO
The Javelinas quickly got on the board in game two versus Madison Hagood (4-9), thanks in large part to the efforts of lead-off hitter and freshman Loren Kelly (Rockport, Texas). After beating out an infield hit, she moved to second on a wild pitch and swiped third, her 17th steal of the season. When Oklahoma Christian's catcher committed the game's first error, Kelly trotted across to provide Gilbert (7-5) with an early edge.
While she did allow baserunners in nearly every inning, the senior right-hander didn't permit a single extra base hit and handed out zero walks. "My rise ball was really working for me," said Gilbert, "and my changeup. I was just trying to keep the hitters off-balance and trust my spin." The Javelina offense provided her with a 2-0 cushion in the fourth, thanks to a Chapa triple and a subsequent single by senior Rachael Longoria (Hutto, Texas).
"The big thing with Sarah," said Nicholson, "is she's going to hit her spots and when she misses, she misses on the good side, which means she's missing outside of the strike zone. There are very few pitches that are centered in the middle of the plate. She does a great job working the corners and keeping her pitches in good spots."
The only run Gilbert permitted came in the fifth and was of the unearned variety. A single, an error and a groundout allowed Fuller to come across, but Kingsville's offense went right back to work and returned their lead to two. Kelly led-off the bottom of the stanza with a two-bagger and Leibas provided a clutch hit with a single to center, scoring Kelly to make it 3-1.
"That made it a lot easier," said Gilbert. "[Anastasia] had a big hit late in the game that allowed me to breathe a little bit."
The Eagles immediately threatened, putting two runners on with one out, but Gilbert's final two strikeouts of the day bailed her out of the jam. She followed that with a 1-2-3 seventh to close out her seventh win.
This brief respite from conference play ends on Friday when the Javelinas will be in Commerce to take on the Texas A&M-Commerce Lions for the first of three, with the first pitch being thrown at 7 p.m.The first pitch for game one is scheduled for 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.
