TUCSON, Ariz. – The Western Oregon Wolves and the Dixie State Trailblazers made it a difficult day on the diamond for the No. 2 Texas A&M-Kingsville softball team, which suffered losses of 11-3 to WOU and 5-2 to DSU on Friday afternoon at the Cactus Classic in Tucson, Ariz. These consecutive losses drop the Javelinas to 9-3 in 2020.
TAMUK vs. Western Oregon
The Wolves used two runs in the second and three in the third to jump out to an early 5-1 lead. TAMUK's only score in those innings came courtesy of sophomore Amber Reyes (Edinburg, Texas), who singled, stole second and scored following a pair of groundouts in the third.
A chance to get back in the game came the Javelinas' way in the sixth, as sophomores Matisen Onofrei (Mesa, Ariz.) and Jory Cervantes (Pflugerville, Texas) both singled to bring up junior Claire Chernosky (Sugar Land, Texas) with two outs. She roped double into center to tally both runners and sliced her team's deficit to 5-3.
Any chance for a comeback by the Javs evaporated in the sixth, which WOU began by loading the bases. A two-run single put the Wolves' lead back to four and, three batters later, a grand slam by Chandler Bishop brought the game to an end.
TAMUK vs. Dixie State
Sophomore Saidi Castillo (Kingsville, Texas) and DSU's Carissa Burgess went toe-to-toe in the circle and neither pitcher allowed a run over the first three innings. The Javelinas broke the ice, taking the lead in the fourth. An error sandwiched between two singles loaded the bases for the Blue and Gold and brought up Chernoksy. The junior was hit by a pitch to force in the game's first run and a fielder's choice then brought in junior Anika Barbosa (Uvalde, Texas) to make the score 2-0.
The Trailblazers cut their deficit in half in the fifth, utilizing two errors to push across an unearned run. Castillo stopped the rally there and put up a zero in the sixth, but DSU found a way to steal the game in the seventh.
A hit, a sacrifice and two more singles plated the tying run for the Trailblazers. After the Javs recorded the second out, a walk loaded the bases and Breanna Cornwall slapped a go-ahead two-run single into left. After an error allowed a fifth run to score, TAMUK went down in order in their half of the seventh.
The Javelinas will be back in action twice more on Saturday, first taking on Colorado Mesa at 10 a.m., then battling Hawaii-Hilo at 12:30 p.m. Stay current with Javelina softball throughout the 2020 season by following @TAMUKSB on Twitter, @JavelinaSports on Twitter and Instagram, like Javelina Sports on Facebook and subscribe to the Javelina Athletics YouTube Channel. Watch your Javelinas live today on the Javelina Sports Network sponsored by Mendoza's Pharmacy.
