ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – Five players finished with multiple hits and sophomore Natalie Rodriguez (Edinburg, Texas) drove in three runs as the Texas A&M-Kingsville softball team trounced the Henderson State Reddies, 10-2, on Monday afternoon at Dee White Field in Arkadelphia, Ark.
TAMUK is now on a 13-game win streak, the third time under coach Craig Nicholson, they've won at least 13 games in-a-row, with both previous instances coming in 2019. HSU is 1-12 on the season.
The Javelinas broke the ice in the first inning with a two-out rally that consisted of three straight singles, the final one coming off the bat of freshman Aaliyah Ortiz (San Antonio, Texas) and bringing in sophomore Kayla Gonzales (San Antonio, Texas). A double, a walk and an error allowed TAMUK to tally another run in the second.
The top of the third began with a walk to junior Matisen Onofrei (Mesa, Ariz.) and Ortiz followed by smacking an RBI double into right-center. Two batters later, Rodriguez knocked in her first run of the day with a sacrifice fly.
HSU pushed across a pair in the fourth, but that was immediately answered by a three-run Javelina fifth and Rodriguez started that outburst with a solo homer. A walk then brought up senior Jennifer Giesey (Crystal Lake, Ill), who tallied her team's sixth run with an RBI double, then raced home when the next batter, senior Loren Kelly (Rockport, Texas), came through with a double of her own.
The Javs finished off the scoring in sixth thanks to a sacrifice fly from junior Jackie De Los Santos (Kingsville, Texas), a run-scoring double off the bat of Rodriguez and RBI safety courtesy of senior Kaylee Dietrich (Phoenix, Ariz.). Sophomore Beth Montes (San Antonio, Texas), who gave up only a single earned run in six innings, retired the side in order in the bottom of the sixth to cap the day.
The Javelinas were originally scheduled to play a Tuesday doubleheader against Southern Arkansas, but those games have been cancelled. Saturday is the next time they will be on the diamond, hosting a doubleheader against Texas A&M International at 4 p.m.
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