KINGSVILLE, Texas – Freshman Kayla Gonzales (San Antonio, Texas) homered twice and drove in eight runs, helping propel the Texas A&M-Kingsville softball team to a doubleheader sweep of the Eastern New Mexico Greyhounds by scores of 8-0 and 15-1 on Friday evening in Lone Star Conference action at Hubert Field in Kingsville, Texas.
This is the fourth doubleheader the Javelinas have swept in 2021 and they're 9-1 in LSC play for the first time since they started 11-1 in the conference in 2007. Overall, the Javs are 16-3.
"I thought we did a good job," said coach Craig Nicholson. "We went in with the mindset that these were two games we needed to win. We tried to keep it simple and have good at-bats and we did a pretty good job of that all day long."
GAME ONE
The scoring started quickly for the Blue and Gold in the first inning, thanks to a lead-off walk to junior Loren Kelly (Rockport, Texas), who immediately stole second and scored on a hit from sophomore Jory Cervantes (Pflugerville, Texas) One batter later, Gonzales delivered her first blow of the day, blasting a two-run homer to left for a 3-0 lead.
In the second frame, the Javs used a hit batter, a single, two walks, two wild pitches and Gonzales RBI groundout to plate three more runs for a 6-0 edge that was more than enough for starter Beth Montes (San Antonio, Texas). In five innings of work, Montes permitted only three hits and no walks while striking out seven to earn her fourth win.
The rally that ended the game started in the fifth with a one-out Matisen Onofrei (Mesa, Ariz.) single. After pinch-runner Sarah Montes (San Antonio, Texas) took second on an error, freshman Katherine Flores (Corpus Christi, Texas) delivered an RBI single and sophomore Jackie De Los Santos (Kingsville, Texas) followed with a double to left-center that pushed across the game's eighth run.
GAME TWO
Kelly created a run all by herself in the first inning of the second game, starting the frame with a single, swiping second and third and scoring when the throw to third sailed into left field. Cervantes then singled and stole second, took third on a fly out and later tallied her team's second run.
TAMUK piled on to their lead during the seven-run second inning that began with a walk to Onofrei, followed by a two-run smash over the left field wall courtesy of junior Jennifer Giesey (Crystal Lake, Ill.). With one out, back-to-back singles brought up Cervantes, who dropped a RBI double into left. That brought up Gonzales and she drilled another homer out to left to boost her team's lead to 8-1. Onofrei capped the rally three batters later with an RBI single.
In the fourth a Leibas single combined with an error tacked on two more runs and Cervantes picked up a pair of RBIs with a two-run double in the fourth. The next hitter was Gonzales, who stroked a single through the middle that brought in the final two runs of the evening.
Freshman Lizette Del Angel (Robstown, Texas) did the rest, picking up her fifth win by allowing only one run on six hits in five innings. She also struck out seven without walking a batter to improve to 5-1.
The next challenge for the Javelinas will be a Sunday doubleheader against the No. 15 West Texas Lady Buffs that will begin at 12 p.m. at Hubert Field. 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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