SAN ANTONIO – Freshman Veronica Chavez (Tempe, Ariz.) drove in four runs and junior Victoria Carrion (Robstown, Texas) spun a four-hit shutout as the Texas A&M-Kingsville softball team won its 10th straight game to begin the 2019 season, cruising past the New Mexico Highlands Cowboys, 7-0, on Saturday afternoon in San Antonio, Texas at the St. Mary's College Softball Classic. TAMUK's second game of the day, against Regis University, was cancelled.
This is the second consecutive season the Javelinas (10-0) have had a streak of 10 consecutive wins. Last season, they reached that same plateau, going undefeated from Feb. 20th – March 3rd. TAMUK remains the only undefeated team in the Lone Star Conference.
For the fourth time this season, the Javelinas jumped out to a first-inning lead. Singles and stolen bases from sophomore Loren Kelly (Rockport, Texas) and freshman Amber Reyes (Edinburg, Texas) got the inning started and sophomore Jory Cervantes (Pflugerville, Texas) cracked a two-run triple into right-center to break the ice. Up next was Chavez, who picked up her first RBI of the day with an infield hit that scored Cervantes.
Chavez upped her team's lead to four with a sacrifice fly in the third, by which time Carrion (2-0) had put it on cruise control. She retired nine out of 10 batters after allowing a one out single in the first inning, a stretch that included a 1-2-3 third frame. All four of NMHU's hits were singles and they didn't have more than one runner on until the seventh inning. The Cowboys also never got a runner to third base. Carrion would finish the day with five strikeouts and only two walks.
TAMUK's lineup tacked on two more runs in the fifth when Reyes and Cervantes singled and both motored home on a Chavez double. Senior Victoria Schoonard-Saborio (Elk Grove, Calif.) scored her team's final run of the day on an error in the sixth.
Laredo, Texas is the next destination for the Javelinas and they'll be there on Wednesday for a doubleheader with Texas A&M International beginning at 12 p.m. Fans can keep up with Javelina softball throughout the season by following @TAMUKSB and @JavelinaSports on Twitter, @JavelinaSports on Instagram, liking Javelina Sports on Facebook and visiting Javelinaathletics.com.
