HOUSTON, Texas – Sophomore Natalie Rodriguez (Edinburg, Texas) homered and drove in three runs, but the Texas A&M-Kingsville softball team had their 2022 season begin with a 5-4 loss to the Harding Bisons on Friday afternoon in Houston, Texas on the first day of the Arkansas Tech Winter Invitational.
This marks the first time since Craig Nicholson took over as head coach prior to the 2018 season the Javelinas have dropped their season opener.
"I thought we played as poorly as we possibly could today," said Nicholson. "We found new creative ways to help our opponent score runs and were lackluster offensively. We need to get better quickly in every aspect of the game."
A scoreless first inning was followed by second frame in which both teams got on the scoreboard, Harding denting home plate first in the top of the frame thanks to three hits and a walk. In the bottom of the second, sophomore Aaliyah Ortiz (San Antonio, Texas) and senior Kaylee Dietrich (Phoenix, Ariz.) picked up hits in their first at-bats for TAMUK, with a lead-off double and an RBI single, respectively, to tie the score.
A pair of Bison two-baggers put Harding back on top in the third, but Rodriguez responded with a runner on in the fourth, belting a go-ahead two-run homer to give the Javs their first lead of the day.
Unfortunately for the Javelinas, Harding responded by tallying a pair in the fifth to regain the advantage and added an insurance run in the sixth. While a Rodriguez RBI knock in TAMUK's half of the sixth sliced the deficit to one run, the Javs couldn't find a way to push across the tying run.
Day two of the season will also consist of one game for the Javelinas, who'll take on Southeastern Oklahoma State at 5 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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