KINGSVILLE, Texas – With the Lone Star Conference Tournament set to start on May 5th and attempting to maintain the momentum of their six-game win streak, the No. 3 Texas A&M-Kingsville softball team will make their way to Laredo, Texas to take on the Texas A&M International Dustdevils in their final regular season doubleheader, which is scheduled for Saturday at 3 p.m. at the Dustdevil Softball Field.
TAMUK's play of late has helped them climb all the way to No. 3 in the national rankings, a spot they last reached in 2019, and keep their hold on the third spot in the South Central Region. Two wins over the Dustdevils would give the Javs eight-in-a-row to close out the regular year, matching the longest win streak they've ever ended the regular season with. The last time the Blue and Gold closed out their regular schedule with eight straight triumphs was also 2019 and they eventually ran that streak to a program record 19-in-a-row.
This recent run has allowed the Blue and Gold to move up to fourth in the LSC table with a 21-7 conference mark. The Javs are also just a game behind the two teams sharing second and third, Lubbock Christian and Texas A&M-Commerce. Earning a top two seed in the conference tournament would afford the Javelinas the luxury of only having to win one game on each day to capture the league's postseason championship.
Two of the Javelinas' most productive players during this win streak have been sophomore Aaliyah Ortiz (San Antonio, Texas) and freshman Rylee Oborski (Salado, Texas). During TAMUK's win in the second game of a doubleheader against Midwestern State on April 22nd, Ortiz homered twice and set a season-high with five RBIs and Ortiz and Oborski combined to drive in 11 runs two days later as the Javs swept a twin bill from Texas Woman's. A six-game hitting streak has boosted Oborski's average up to .406, while Ortiz's .796 slugging percentage is the LSC's second-best.
For the Dustdevils, they're battling for the 10th and final spot in the LSC Tournament, which is currently held by St. Edward's. TAMIU and SEU own identical 9-19 conference records with the Hilltoppers owning a slightly better overall mark. The Dustdevils are attempting to return to the conference tournament after they nearly made a run to the tournament title game in 2021.
The most productive players in coach Scott Libby's lineup have been the trio of Heather Ruiz, Victoria Gonzalez and Briana Arredondo, all of whom are slugging over .500. When the Javs and the Dustdevils met for two games in February, a homer by Gonzalez accounted for the only two runs TAMIU scored against TAMUK. Ruiz's .380 average has been boosted by an eight-game hit streak and her and Arredondo both homered during their team's 7-5 win over Midwestern State on April 23rd.
Follow all the action in Laredo by visiting Javelinaathletics.com, where you'll find links to live stats, live video and a postgame recap. 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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