SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Javelina Softball split their Sunday doubleheader with Our Lady of the Lake, falling in game one, 7-6 before Beth Montes picked up another complete game win thanks in large part to late hitting delivering a 3-2 win.
The Javelinas' (3-5), win in the second game of the day marked the first under interim coach Orlando Salinas.
"We are a really dangerous team," said coach Salinas. "It's still early and we have got some things to figure out, but it will come, and I'm excited about us taking that next step as a team."
Game 1
Kayla Gonzales got the Javelina offense going early with a two run shot over the right field wall in the first inning. Later in the inning, the Javs worked the bases loaded with two outs as Brylee Bilger took a pitch to the helmet granting her first and bringing in Aaliyah Ortiz to score pushing the lead to 3-0.
OLLU responded quickly with a two run home run of its own in the top of the first cutting the deficit to just one.
Smooth defending by TAMUK ended the offensive threat courtesy of a 5-4-3 double play.
Gonzales picked up her third RBI of the game in the second inning via a sacrifice fly to right field scoring Jory Cervantes from third making it 4-2 TAMUK.
The Saints responded to take the lead with two more big flies with a solo shot in the second and another two run dinger in the third to take a 5-4 lead. OLLU threatened more offense in the third getting runners to second and third with only one out when reliever Lizette Del Angel stepped into the circle and forced a pop and ground out to get out of the inning unscathed.
In the fifth, the Javelinas were able to even the score courtesy of a one out RBI single up the middle by Natalie Rodriguez with the bases loaded. The Javs were unable to capitalize on the opportunity though with the next two batters recording outs to end the frame.
Gonzales picked the Javelinas up in the next inning with her second home run of the game, sending a solo shot over the center field fence taking the lead back, 6-5 for TAMUK.
In the bottom half of the sixth, OLLU was able to get runners into scoring position, but Del Angel forced a pop out to first to end the threat.
OLLU was not done though, as the Saints got two RBI singles up the middle with two outs to take game one of the doubleheader, 7-6.
Del Angel took the loss for the game, going four and a third innings giving up two runs on five hits.
OLLU's Angela Ramirez took the win going four and two-thirds innings giving up only two runs on four hits striking out four batters.
Game 2
For all the offense that was produced between the two teams in the first game, the second game was the complete opposite with TAMUK's Beth Montes and OLLU's Cassandra Valdez challenging one another in the circle for a pitcher's duel.
Neither pitcher allowed a runner to reach past second base for a majority of the game as the team's went into the final two frames locked in a 0-0 stalemate.
That was until the top of the sixth when the Javs finally broke through. Breanna Carr started TAMUK off by legging out an infield single to shortstop before she stole second to put herself in scoring position. Hailey Vess then delivered a clutch double through the left side of the infield to score Carr.
Just like in the first game though, OLLU refused to go away. After the Saints' leadoff hitter reached on an error, they found just their second hit of the game doubling off the wall in center bringing across an unearned run. In the next at-bat, a Montes error saw another run score and the batter reach safely pushing the lead to 2-1 with no outs. The San Antonio native did not buckle however working her way out of the inning with no more runs surrendered.
Trailing by one, the Javs found clutch hitting in freshman Brylee Bilger who sent a line drive laser over the center field fence tying the game at two.
Two batters later, Cervantes reached on an awkwardly hit ball that proved difficult to field for the OLLU pitcher allowing Cervantes to reach. The redshirt senior took advantage of the opportunity stealing second base and then taking third on a wild pitch.
Following two walks, Matisen Onofrei came to the plate with two outs and the bases loaded. The Arizona native ended up taking an errant pitch off of her hip granting her first bringing Cervantes across from third giving TAMUK a 3-2 lead.
Despite leaving the bases loaded, the one run lead proved all that was needed as Montes finished her third complete game of the season retiring the Saints in order to seal the win.
Montes picked up the complete game win allowing only two hits and two runs across the seven innings with only one of those runs being earned.
UP NEXT
The Javelinas welcome the Rattlers of St. Mary's for TAMUK's home and conference opening series beginning with a double header on Tuesday, Feb. 6.
You can keep up with Javelina softball all year long 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 Lone Star Conference Digital Network.
