WICHITA FALLS, Texas – Five different players drove in multiple runs and sophomore Kayla Gonzales (San Antonio, Texas) and freshman Aaliyah Ortiz (San Antonio, Texas) each homered twice as the No. 5 Texas A&M-Kingsville softball team walloped the Midwestern State Mustangs in a doubleheader sweep by scores of 12-1 and 12-5 in Lone Star Conference action on Friday evening at Mustangs Park in Wichita Falls, Texas.
The Javelinas' record improves to 39-8 and they're 19-7 in the LSC. This is the eighth doubleheader the Javs have swept in 2022 and the fifth time they've scored at least 10 runs in both ends of a twin bill.
"I thought our offense was pretty good today," said coach Craig Nicholson. "[It was] probably better in game two than game one. We need to clean some things up defensively but it was a good day for us."
GAME ONE
The Javelinas wasted no time lighting up the scoreboard, putting together a first inning rally that started with back-to-back hits from senior Loren Kelly (Rockport, Texas) and junior Jory Cervantes (Pflugerville, Texas). A wild pitch and passed ball allowed Kelly to com across and Cervantes crossed home plate soon after on an RBI single from junior Matisen Onofrei (Mesa, Ariz.). TAMUK's first-inning lead increased to 3-0 when Gonzales scored on a groundout.
The teams traded runs in the second inning before the Javs put up a three-spot in the third, aided by a walk and two singles that loaded the bases with one out. Senior Jennifer Giesey (Crystal Lake, Ill.) earned a base on balls to force in a run and a fielder's choice hit into by Kelly scored sophomore Natalie Rodriguez (Edinburg, Texas) to make the score 6-1. An RBI bunt single by Cervantes concluded the scoring in the third.
In the circle was sophomore Lizette Del Angel (Robstown, Texas) and she improved her record to 8-2 by not allowing an earned run in five innings. Del Angel permitted only four singles and didn't walk a batter while throwing her fifth complete game. After the Javs added five more runs to their, thanks in part to two-run hits from Giesey and Rodriguez, Del Angel finished the contest with a scoreless fifth.
GAME TWO
Ortiz started the scoring in second inning by lofting a two-run homer over the left field wall and the Javelinas added a third run later in the frame when a Giesey single tallied Rodriguez. Gonzales made the score 4-0 in the third with a solo shot to left.
The Mustangs reduced their deficit to one with a three-run bottom of the third, but TAMUK's response came in the fifth, when Cervantes singles, Onofrei walked and Ortiz clubbed a three-run homer to left to restore her team's four-run edge.
An RBI triple and an error in the bottom of the sixth brought MSU to within two at 7-5, but three Blue and Gold dingers in the seventh blew the game open. First it was Gonzales, who went deep with a runner on to double TAMUK's advantage. Three batters later, senior Kaylee Dietrich (Phoenix, Ariz.) rocketed a two-run homer to left and Rodriguez then made it back-to-back jacks with a bullet over the center field fence accounted for the game's final run.
The six home runs the Javelinas hit on Friday put their total for the season at 50, breaking the old program record of 46 set by the 2019 team.
The Javelinas will be back on the field on Saturday, taking on Texas Woman's in a doubleheader scheduled to start 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.
Get the Official Javelina Athletics Mobile App presented by Whataburger today! Download on the App Store or Get It on Google Play to keep up with all the news, scores and updates of your favorite Javelinas.
