KINGSVILLE, Texas – Sophomore Matisen Onofrei (Mesa, Ariz.) and freshman Kayla Gonzales (San Antonio, Texas) combined to drive in 11 runs for the No. 19 Texas A&M-Kingsville softball team, which scored a doubleheader sweep of the St. Mary's Rattlers on Sunday, 13-1 and 9-1, in Lone Star Conference action at Vernie and Blanche Hubert Field in Kingsville, Texas.

"Opening weekend in conference, you put yourself in a great position going 4-0," said coach Craig Nicholson. "This team's been through a lot the last two weeks. It felt like we were hitting our stride offensively and then we had to take 10 days off. All weekend, we had some at-bats where we just battled our way through them. That's the sign of a team that wants to compete and has the capability to compete late in the season."

At 9-1, the Javelinas own the best overall record in the Lone Star Conference and they've also started league play 4-0 for the first time since 2008. St. Mary's is 1-3 in the LSC and 5-9 overall.

GAME ONE

The Rattlers broke the ice in the opener when Abigale Carney crossed the plate on an error in the first, but the Javs quickly put two on in their half of the frame and Gonzales tied the score by dropping an RBI single into right. When Onofrei followed by roping a double into right-center, two more runs came in to make the score 3-1.

Freshman Natalie Rodriguez (Edinburg, Texas) upped her team's advantage to 4-1 with a sacrifice fly in the third and freshman Lizette Del Angel (Robstown, Texas) made sure her team's lead stood up. After permitting a single to the game's first batter, Del Angel held the Rattlers hitless for the rest of the day and only issued one walk. She retired the side in order three times and set down the final eight hitters she faced.

TAMUK blew the game open with nine-run fourth that started with a walk, an error and a bunt single that, combined with another error, scored the first run of the stanza. Another bunt hit and a bases-loaded walk followed, then Onofrei started a streak of four straight RBI hits by ripping an single into left.

Junior Anastasia Leibas (Del Valle, Texas) followed with a knock of her own to score TAMUK's eighth run and Rodriguez pushed across a pair by sending a double into the left-field corner. Giesey then lifted another two-bagger into left-center that tallied a pair to put her team's lead at 12-1. Gonzales closed out the scoring with an RBI single.

GAME TWO

In the second game, starter Saidi Castillo (Kingsville, Texas) kept the Rattlers in check for six innings, allowing only one run on six hits while striking out nine. In three of the first five frames, Castillo stranded runners in scoring position and when the Rattlers finally did push across a run in the sixth, she threw up back-to-back strikeouts with runners on second and third to prevent StMU from threatening TAMUK's lead. This win puts Castillo's record at 4-0.

Castillo's teammates wasted no time providing her with run support, starting with consecutive first-inning doubles from sophomore Jory Cervantes (Pflugerville, Texas) and Gonzales. Gonzales tallied her team's second run later in the frame on a Leibas single.

The home team's 2-0 edge received a boost thanks to a fourth inning rally that began with a double and an error and a Giesey single brought in freshman Sarah Montes (San Antonio, Texas) for the frame's first run. Another run followed on an error and a Loren Kelly RBI hit one batter later made the score 5-0.

The Rattlers managed to get on the board in the sixth, only to watch their hosts quickly answer in their half of the inning with four runs that ended the game. Gonzales struck the first blow, lacing a two-run double into right-center for her fifth and six RBIs of the day. One batter later, Onofrei launched a two-run homer to left to cap the afternoon.

The Javelinas will play their first road conference doubleheader on Friday, when they visit Lawton, Okla., taking on the Cameron Aggies in doubleheader that will begin at 4 p.m. 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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