KINGSVILLE, Texas – For the first time in nine years, the Texas A&M-Kingsville softball team is set to compete in the Lone Star Conference Tournament and the Javelinas will be battling in the tourney's opening contest, a matchup with third-seeded and No. 13 Texas A&M-Commerce (38-8, 23-7), which will take place at 11 a.m. on Friday at Mayer Field in San Angelo, Texas.
The Javelinas (29-25, 15-15) garnered the event's sixth and final spot during the final weekend of the regular season, thanks in part to some work put in by the Lions. While the Javelinas were taking two of their three conference contests from the Western New Mexico Mustangs, Commerce swept a three-game series from Texas Woman's University, knocking the Pioneers out of possession of the final spot in the field.
In order to leapfrog TWU, the Javelinas put together an excellent final month of the season, during which they captured four straight series against conference opponents. That stretch included a home series against then No. 11 West Texas A&M that saw Kingsville sweep a Saturday doubleheader. They then closed out the season in Silver City, N.M., taking three of four from WNMU. Over the final two games of the series, the Javs totaled 27 runs, the program's highest total in a twin bill since 2016.
Over their last four games, TAMUK is hitting .392/.451/.696, with junior Victoria Schoonard-Saborio (Elk Grove, Calif.) and freshman Anastasia Leibas (Del Valle, Texas) swinging the hottest bats. Schoonard-Saborio batted .545 with a pair of dingers and nine RBIs against the Mustangs. Leibas blasted three homers in Silver City, while pounding out six hits in 13 at-bats and driving in 11 runs. The Javelina offense has also benefitted from the resurgence of senior Rachael Longoria (Hutto, Texas). She takes a 16-game hitting streak into the LSC Tourney. Since the start of May, Longoria has been red-hot, collecting 25 hits in 59 trips to the plate for a .424 BA.
Coach Craig Nicholson has also enjoyed a productive last month from senior pitcher Sarah Gilbert (Chipley, Fla.). In her last 10 games, Gilbert is 5-1 with a 2.21 ERA and opponents are hitting only .244 against her. She also has a save to her credit and has completed all but one of her starts since the beginning of April.
Commerce's offense includes seven players batting above .300 and four student-athletes with double-digit home run totals, but catcher Mariah Jameyson and pitcher/utility player Kinsie Hebler have been the teams' standout performers all season. Both were on the National Fastpitch Coaches Association watch list for Division II National Player of the Year. Jameyson's .542 batting average ranks second in the nation. She's also second in the NCAA with 80 RBIs and fifth in homers with 22. Jameyson homered in each of Commerce's March games with the Javelinas, including a walk-off blast in the series finale. Hebler has also moved into the nation's top 20 in homers with 15, tied for 13th, and RBIs, where her 56 place her 17th.
Coach Richie Bruister's top pitching weapon during the 2018 season has been freshman Emily Otto. A native of Richmond, Texas, Otto owns a 16-4 record and a 2.44 ERA. Her ERA and win total are good enough to place her in the conference's top 10 and she also leads the LSC with five saves, having made 11 relief appearances for the Lions.
The first day of the tournament will include four games. The winner of the Kingsville-Commerce bout will battle 10th-ranked and second-seeded West Texas A&M at 4 p.m. Following the Javs and Lions, fourth-seeded Tarleton State and fifth-seeded Cameron will play for the right to take on the LSC's top seed, No. 6 Angelo State 6:30 p.m. The conference championship game will take place on Saturday at 2 p.m.
You can follow the Javelinas throughout the LSC Tournament by visiting Javelinaathletics.com, where links to live stats and video, as well as a postgame recap will all be available. 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.
