ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – The Texas A&M-Kingsville softball team piled up 22 runs on 25 hits on their way to a pair of blowout victories, first by a score of 11-0 over the Christian Brothers Lady Bucs, followed by an 11-0 triumph over the Midwestern State Mustangs on Sunday afternoon at Sully Anderson Field in Arkadelphia, Ark.
The Javelinas have now won 12-in-a-row and are 12-1 on the season.
"We're pitching really well," said coach Craig Nicholson, "and our offense just keeps getting better. We're getting contributions up and down the lineup and our bench is doing a great job."
TAMUK vs. Christian Brothers
TAMUK's offensive onslaught began in the second inning of their first game with a rally that started with an Aaliyah Ortiz (San Antonio, Texas) RBI double and the Javs tallied their second run on a groundout three batters later. Junior Jennifer Giesey (Crystal Lake. Ill.) then blasted TAMUK's first homer of the day, a two-run shot that made the score 4-0.
One inning later, the Javelinas loaded the bases with nobody out and Ortiz came through with another RBI single. With the bases still loaded and one out, senior Kaylee Dietrich (Phoenix, Ariz.) crushed a 1-1 pitch over the left field fence for grand slam and a nine-run Blue and Gold lead.
Ortiz picked up her third RBI of the game with another two-bagger in the fifth and a bases-loaded hit by pitch forced in the 11th run of the game.
In the circle for the Javs was junior Saidi Castillo (Kingsville, Texas) and she cruised through five scoreless innings. CBU only managed two singles off the Javelina starter, who struck out the side in the first two innings. Castillo struck out 10 on the day, giving her back-to-back games with at least 10 Ks for the first time in her career and this also went down as her third straight shutout.
TAMUK vs. Midwestern State
The Javelina lineup went to work quickly against the Mustangs, ringing up five runs during a first inning rally that began with three straight singles. Junior Matisen Onofrei (Mesa, Ariz.) proceeded to clear the bases by roping a three-run double into the left field corner. Onofrei came home with the inning's fourth run on an error and a two-out knock from Dietrich allowed Ortiz to dent home plate to cap the frame.
A Loren Kelly (Rockport, Texas) single, a stolen base and a Jory Cervantes (Pflugerville, Texas) double got the Javs on the board in the second and Onofrei added a seventh run with a run-scoring single.
Ortiz made the score 9-0 by belting her first Javelina homer with a runner on the fourth, freshman Sydney Christopher (Saginaw, Texas) scored the team's 10th run later in that inning, and sophomore Natalie Rodriguez's (Edinburg, Texas) RBI single in the fifth brought in the final run.
MSU's offense was held in check by freshman Carissa De Los Santos (Kingsville, Texas), who gave up a first inning single, then held the Mustangs hitless for the rest of the day. After MSU put two runners on the first, only one hitter reached safely after that and De Los Santos also piled up eight strikeouts.
The Javelinas have one game on the docket for Monday, a 2 p.m. date with the Henderson State Reddies. 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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