KINGSVILLE, Texas – Just two days after barging into the National Fastpitch Coaches Association's collegiate rankings at No. 15, the Texas A&M-Kingsville softball team will go to work on the road with a seven-game road trip against three different teams.
The Cameron Aggies are first up with a three-game series that will take place on Friday and Saturday in Lawton, Okla. at McMahon Fields and Athletic Center. On Monday, the Blue and Gold will play twice against Oklahoma Baptist with game one at 1 p.m. Exactly 24 hours after that first pitch will be the opening toss to begin a doubleheader against Oklahoma Christian in Oklahoma City.
The Javelinas are attempting to maintain the momentum that has helped them win their first three series in the Lone Star Conference. The team's overall record of 20-3 matches the marks they had in 2001 and 2005 as the best 23-game starts in Javelina history. They're also 7-2 in the LSC, behind only No. 9 West Texas A&M.
A weekend sweep of then No. 2 A&M-Commerce helped the Javelinas finally earn a spot in the NFCA poll, but their last time out was a doubleheader split at home against St. Mary's. In the game one against the Rattlers, TAMUK's six-run sixth inning provided the offense in a 6-2 victory, but other than that frame, the Javs managed only three runs on 11 hits in 15 innings. The biggest bat was swung by freshman Makenzie Mays (Conroe, Texas), who tripled in each game and drove in a total of four runs. Mays' season total of four triples is tied for the seventh-most in Division II.
On a day that saw her pick up her second LSC Pitcher of the Week award of the season, freshman Saidi Castillo (Kingsville, Texas) added to her win total, which now stands at 12, the most in the nation. Her 98 strikeouts put her third in the country and she also owns two saves. Castillo has pitched in 16 of her team's 23 games in 2019.
The Aggies entered 2019 fresh off a season that included a trip to NCAA Regionals and they were picked to finish fifth in the LSC's preseason poll, the same place they finished a year ago. The Aggies do own an overall mark of 13-8 and they started the season with a stretch that saw them win eight of 11, but they've since dropped five of 10 and that period included series losses against Tarleton at home and MSU Texas on the road.
An excellent pitching staff was the most important factor in Cameron's fast start and they still have three hurlers with ERA's under three. The two players who've spent the most time in the circle were both all-conference selections last year in Rylee Willmon and Bethany Hines. Hines' record is a mediocre 5-4, but her ERA stands at a solid 2.63 and she's also picked up three saves. Hines earned her team's only victory over the Javelinas a season ago, with seven innings in which she allowed just one earned run.
Willmon returned to Lawton after capturing the honor of LSC Newcomer of the Year as a junior. She's pitched to a 2.51 ERA in 39 innings, including a shutout of Southern Nazarene on Feb. 9th. The newest member of Cameron's staff is freshman, who also owns the team's best ERA at 2.23 to go with a 2-0 record.
When the Javelina and Aggies met last year, the Javs took two of three at home, but Cameron has taken each of the last nine matchups at home against TAMUK. The last win for the Javelinas in Lawton came in the first matchup ever between these programs, which was in 2000. Cameron owns a slight, 19-18 edge in the all-time series.
Oklahoma Baptist, by contrast, will be seeing the Javelinas for the first time ever. The Bison, out of the Great American Conference have started the year 7-10 and enter the weekend, during which they'll play twice against Ouachita Baptist, having lost five of eight.
The most notable player on OCU's roster is sophomore catcher Franki Hull, who is currently third in the NCAA in hitting among those with at least 50 at-bats. Her total of 29 hits in 55 at-bats gives her a .527 average, easily the best in the GAC. Hull has picked up multiple hits in 10 of her team's 17 games and has been held hitless just twice in 2019. In a four-game series against Northwestern Oklahoma on Feb. 24th – 25th, Hull totaled 11 hits in 15 at-bats, topped by a homer and five RBIs in the series finale.
The Eagles of Oklahoma Christian won 12 of their first 13, but have slumped since then, dropping doubleheaders against St. Mary's and No. 8 Central Oklahoma. Overall, OCU is 14-5 and 2-2 in the Heartland Conference.
The Javelinas will have to contend with two of the HC's best players on Tuesday. Infielder Brie Dunkel's average of .475 is third in the conference and she leads the league with 14 steals and is tied atop the conference with 25 runs scored. Her season has also included and 10-game hit streak.
In the circle, senior Kaylie Upton has been sensational one year after being named to the All-South Central region second-team. Her 1.31 ERA is second the Heartland Conference and she's backed up by freshman Kali Crandall (5-2, 2.14) and senior Madison Hagood (5-2, 3.05).
Links to live coverage of each game during TAMUK's road trip are available through Javelinaathletics.com. To stay up-to-date with Javelina softball all season long, follow @TAMUKSB and @JavelinaSports on Twitter, @JavelinaSports on Instagram, like Javelina Sports on Facebook and visit Javelinaathletics.com.
