DENTON, Texas – Despite two hits from junior Roxy Chapa (McAllen, Texas) and a home run from junior Lauren Oatman (Fort Worth, Texas), the Texas A&M-Kingsville softball team was handed its first loss in more than two weeks, 3-2, at the hands of the Texas Woman's University Pioneers at Pioneer Field on Friday night in Denton, Texas.
This defeat snaps TAMUK's 10-game win streak and puts their mark at 13-8 and 6-4 in conference. TWU is 12-7 and 4-3 in the Lone Star Conference.
The first two innings consisted only of zeroes, with TWU coming close to scoring in the first, putting runners on second and third with nobody out, but sophomore Breanna Smith (9-4) (San Antonio, Texas) proceeded to strikeout the side to strand both players.
The Javelinas were the first team to dent home plate, with Oatman (Fort Worth, Texas) supplying the offense by launching her third homer of the season over the left field wall.
The Pioneers threatened in the third and fourth innings, but they were unable to break through. They finally got on the board in the fifth, grabbing the lead on a two-run home run by Tylia Sylestine. The home team added one more for a 3-1 edge thanks to a RBI single by Abby Walker.
Cheyenne Mahy (6-1) kept the Javs stuck at one run until the seventh, allowing only five hits and walking one, while striking out six. The Javelinas finally picked up their second run in the seventh, when junior Arabella Acosta-Cantu (Corpus Christi, Texas) led off with a double and scored on two-out single by freshman Loren Kelly (Rockport, Texas). That hit extended Kelly's hit streak to 14 straight, but it would be the last knock of the night for TAMUK, as Walker secured a save by recording the last three outs.
The Javelinas will have a chance to bounce back on Saturday when they play two against the Pioneers. Game one will start at 1 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.
