OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – Sophomore Saidi Castillo (Kingsville, Texas) permitted only one earned run in seven innings and freshman Kayla Gonzales (San Antonio, Texas) picked up three RBIs as the No. 18 Texas A&M-Kingsville softball team took game two of a doubleheader from the No. 10 Oklahoma Christian Eagles, 8-2, after dropping the opener, 3-2, in Lone Star Conference action on Sunday at Tom Heath Field in Oklahoma City, Okla.
With this split, the Javelinas now own a record of 7-1 in the LSC and are 12-2 overall. The Eagles are also 7-1 in conference with a 15-3 mark overall.
"I thought we really competed against a very good team," said coach Craig Nicholson. "Our pitchers battled and we finally strung some hits together late in the second game. Defense let us down a little bit in game one, but we bounced back and finished off the day."
GAME ONE
Both starting pitchers began the day with two scoreless innings before TAMUK broke through in the third. Junior Loren Kelly (Rockport, Texas) singled with one out and stole second before taking third on a sacrifice. When OC committed an error on a ground ball, Kelly came home with the game's first run.
The Eagles tied the game in the fifth thanks to a triple by Brie Dunckel, who scored one batter later on a fielder's choice. While the Javs edged in front, 2-1, in the sixth courtesy of a Jackie De Los Santos (Kingsville, Texas) RBI single, two infield singles, a walk and a wild pitch brought in the tying run for OC in the bottom of the frame.
The bottom of the seventh began with a double and a bunt single for the Eagles and a walk soon loaded the bases with nobody out. TAMUK picked up one out at the plate on a ground ball, but another grounder followed, this one in the right spot to bring in the winning run.
GAME TWO
Once again, the Javs put the first dent in home plate, thanks to an error, an infield hit and a groundout that tallied Kelly in the top of the first, but Dunckel came across on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the inning to tie the score.
One frame later, OC loaded the based with one out, but Castillo limited the home team to one run before escaping the jam. In the third, the Eagles put runners on second and third with one out only to see Castillo once again maneuver her way out of trouble, inducing a popup and flyout to keep the score at 2-1. TAMUK's right-hander would also strand runners in scoring position in the fifth and seventh while giving the Blue and Gold the chance to retake the lead.
The Javelina lineup came to life in the sixth, starting with a bunt by Jory Cervantes (Pflugerville, Texas) that was thrown away by the Eagles, allowing the sophomore to race all the way around the bases and score the tying run. Gonzales and junior Anastasia Leibas (Del Valle, Texas) followed with singles to bring up freshman Natalie Rodriguez (Edinburg, Texas), who lofted an RBI double into the right field corner to plate the go-ahead run.
Three batters later, sophomore Makenzie Mays (Conroe, Texas) hit a rope down the left field line that became a two-run double. Mays later counted her team's sixth run on an error before Gonzales capped the seven-run inning with a two-RBI single through the middle. Castillo did the rest to ice TAMUK's 12th win.
The Javelinas will take the field again on Monday for a 2 p.m. tilt against the Southeastern Oklahoma State Savage Storm in Durant, Okla. Stay current with Javelina softball by following @TAMUKSB and @JavelinaSports on both Twitter and Instagram, liking the Javelina Sports Facebook page, subscribing to the Javelina Athletics YouTube Channel and visiting Javelinaathletics.com. Watch your Javelinas live today on the Javelina Sports Network sponsored by Mendoza's Pharmacy.
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