TYLER, Texas- The Texas A&M-Kingsville softball team fell to the UT-Tyler Patriots 5-1, in the opening game of a best-of-three NCAA Super Regional series at Suddenlink Field on Thursday in Tyler, Texas.
 
"In some ways, we let them score three runs in the first inning," said coach Craig Nicholson. "We were digging out of a hole all day long, I felt like offensively, that was not our normal day…we need to be a little bit better at the plate, we competed, we've been in this spot before, and we'll be ready to go tomorrow".
 
The No. 2 Javelinas (49-11) were bested by the No. 1 Patriots (46-6) and now must win a pair of games on Friday to extend their season and earn a trip to the Division II Women's College World Series. First pitch on Friday is slated for 3 p.m. at Suddenlink Field on the campus of UT-Tyler. 
 
At the plate, the Javelinas were led by seniors Loren Kelly (Rockport, Texas) and Jennifer Giesey (Crystal Lake, Illinois) as the pair each logged two hits, while Giesey drove in the only Blue and Gold run of the ballgame on an RBI double.
 
Junior Saidi Castillo (Kingsville, Texas) started in the circle for the Javs, striking out one, and surrendering four runs across four innings to a potent UT-Tyler lineup. 
 
The Patriots cracked the scoreboard first, loading the bases on three consecutive singles to open the bottom of the inaugural inning. Taylor Goff plated the first run with a single of her own, before back-to-back sacrifice flies allowed UTT to take a 3-0 lead. 
 
Also in the circle for the Patriots, Goff kept the Javelinas off the basepaths until the third inning when singles by Kelly and Geisey combined with a sophomore Kayla Gonzales (San Antonio, Texas) walk to load the bases. The threat, however, did not come to pass as Goff struck out a pair of hitters to keep the UTT lead intact. 
 
In the bottom of the fourth, a leadoff triple by Mak Dominguez led to another sacrificed fly that increased the Javelinas' deficit to four. The inning continued with a Patriot single before Castillo fielded a comebacker and turned two. From there, freshman Carissa De Los Santos (Kingsville, Texas) took over pitching duties until the conclusion of the ballgame. 
 
Another Patriot run came across in the bottom of the fifth, before Kelly opened up the sixth with a sharply hit single into left field. Moments later, Giesey drove in the first Blue and Gold run of the ballgame with a double into the gap in right-center. De Los Santos logged three outs in the bottom half, resulting in a 5-1 scoreline heading into the final frame.
 
The Javs were unable to get on base in the seventh, cementing the 5-1 Patriot victory. 

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