LAREDO, Texas – Homers by sophomore Anastasia Leibas (Del Valle, Texas) and freshman Veronica Chavez (Tempe, Ariz.) fueled a comeback win in game one and junior Breanna Smith (San Antonio, Texas) fired a complete game victory in game two as the Texas A&M-Kingsville softball team rolled past the Texas A&M International Dustdevils in a doubleheader by scores of 4-3 and 6-1 on Wednesday afternoon in Laredo, Texas at Dustdevils Softball Field.
The Javelinas continue to build on what is already the best start in program history and now stand at 12-0. This represents the club's longest win streak since they captured 17 straight in 2005.
GAME 1
The Dustdevils made the initial dent in home plate, pushing across the game's first run in the first inning. Maya Paul doubled to lead off and came across two batters later on a Shelby Edwards single for a slim, 1-0 edge.
That advantage grew to three in the third thanks to rally that began with a walk and a single. Two batters later, with runners on second and third, Morgan Chavarria connected for a two-run double. Javelina starter Saidi Castillo (6-0) (Kingsville, Texas) was able to shake off these early hiccups and buckle down, allowing just one hit over the final six innings and finishing the day with seven strikeouts. She's now thrown four complete games this season.
Leibas struck the first blow in her team's comeback in the fifth, launching her first home run of the season, drawing the Javs to within two. One inning later, Chavez put the Javelinas on even footing, clubbing a two-run homer, her second long ball of 2019.
Following a scoreless seventh and eighth, Leibas was hit by a pitch with one out in the ninth and a walk then put two runners on. Two batters later, sophomore Loren Kelly's (Rockport, Texas) single tallied the go-ahead run. A perfect bottom of the inning from Castillo finished off TAMUK's first win of the day.
"We really didn't play well in game one," said coach Craig Nicholson, "especially offensively, but we got a couple big swings and found a way to win against a good pitcher."
GAME 2
Smith kept the home team's offense under wraps for almost all of the second game in collecting her fourth win of the season. The junior from San Antonio permitted only four singles and kept the Dustdevils off the scoreboard until the final inning. She also walked only two while striking out seven.
"She's just doing a great job of competing and working ahead in the count," said Nicholson. "She has really good stuff, so when hitters are behind in the count, it makes it tough."
The support for Smith's sterling effort first came in the third, an inning freshman Amber Reyes (Edinburg, Texas) started with a single. She moved to second on a groundout and took third on a wild pitch before scoring on a when senior Roxy Chapa (McAllen, Texas) grounded out to the shortstop. An error on the next play plated Chavez to make the score 2-0.
Senior Victoria Schoonard-Saborio (Elk Grove, Texas) sparked another rally in the fourth with a lead-off double and she upped her team's advantage to three after scoring on an error which put Kelly on second. The sophomore immediately swiped third and touched home thanks to a Reyes groundout.
Sophomore Jory Cervantes (Pflugerville, Texas) tallied TAMUK's third run of the inning by drawing a walk, stealing second and racing around when Chapa doubled. Kelly picked up her second RBI of the day in the seventh with a run-scoring single and the Dustdevils picked up their only run in the bottom of the final frame before Smith secured her team's 12th straight triumph.
The Javelinas now turn their attention to their Lone Star Conference schedule which starts on Friday with a 6 p.m. clash with Texas Woman's University to begin a three-game series. To stay up-to-date with Javelina softball all year long, follow @TAMUKSB and @JavelinaSports on Twitter, @JavelinaSports on Instagram, like Javelina Sports on Facebook and visit Javelinaathletics.com.
