SAN ANTONIO – Freshman Saidi Castillo (Kingsville, Texas) tossed a one-hit complete game shutout and sophomore Jory Cervantes (Pflugerville, Texas) drove in four runs as the Texas A&M-Kingsville softball team picked up its eighth and ninth wins of the season, edging the Drury Panthers, 9-8, before slipping past the Regis Rangers, 1-0, on Friday at the St. Mary's College Softball Classic in San Antonio, Texas.
The 2019 Javelinas are officially off to the best start in program history at 9-0, besting the 2009 team that began the season 7-0.
TAMUK vs. Drury
The Javelinas quickly seized the initiative against Drury by putting up two runs in the bottom of the first. Sophomore Loren Kelly (Rockport, Texas) lit the flame by drawing a lead-off walk and swiping second and third. She scored the day's first run on an infield hit by Cervantes. Two more Javelina singles, the last one by sophomore Anastasia Leibas (Del Valle, Texas), brought in the second run.
In the third inning, Drury used four singles, including three straight to begin the frame, to even the score, but the Blue and Gold quickly regained an edge in the bottom of the stanza. A Cervantes single followed by a Veronica Chavez (Tempe, Ariz.) double brought up senior Roxy Chapa (McAllen, Texas), who drove a fly ball into center for sacrifice fly and a 3-2 lead.
Senior Victoria Schoonard-Saborio (Elk Grove, Calif.) stretched the Javelina lead to three in the fourth, drilling her first home run of the season with a runner on for a 5-2 advantage that her team continued building on in the sixth.
A Megan Holmes homer allowed the Panthers to creep within two, but a response came in form of the Javs pounding out five consecutive singles that brought in four runs. After loading the bases with two outs, Cervantes drove a hit through the right side to tally a pair and Chavez followed with a two-run safety to left, which provided starting pitcher Breanna Smith (3-0) (San Antonio, Texas) with a six-run lead heading into the seventh.
Despite a 9-3 hole, Drury refused to go quietly in the last inning. After an error, the Javelinas quickly got two outs before Madoline Seumalo smacked a two-run homer. Another error brought Castillo into the circle, but the Panthers quickly added a pair of singles to move within three. A walk, a two-run knock and another base on balls followed before Castillo finally secured the win, inducing a groundout to second.
TAMUK vs. Regis
Castillo was back on the mound against Regis and she was in top form against the Rangers. The freshman righty allowed one hit, a third-inning double by Carly Beard, which broke a streak of seven-in-a-row retired to begin the contest.
Beard was the only Regis player to make it into scoring position, as Castillo gave up just three more baserunners, all on walks. She would strike out eight and also benefitted from a double play turned behind her in the sixth inning. Her second complete game shutout of the season pushed her record to 5-0.
Regis starter Maisie Mortimer was almost as good, permitting only six hits, but one hiccup in the top of the third cost her the victory. The inning started with a double by freshman Makenzie Mays (Conroe, Texas) and a walk and a single proceeded to load the bases for the Javelinas with nobody out. Two hitters later, Cervantes cashed in on the opportunity, lifting a sacrifice fly to left for the only run Castillo would need.
The Javelinas finish their time in San Antonio with two games on Saturday, starting with New Mexico Highlands at 2 p.m., followed by Colorado School of Mines at 7 p.m. 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.
