Kingsville - Momentum from the Texas A&M - Kingsville softball team's final game of opening weekend certainly carried into Friday's contests, as the Javelinas tacked on two wins with a 10-9 walk-off against Colorado at Colorado Springs and an 11-5 beatdown of Minnesota State Moorhead.

Graduate student outfielder Lindsey Evans had an unbelievable day, going 2-for-3 with an RBI and two walks in the first game against UCCS before exploding for five RBIs on 4-of-4 with two homers against MSU Moorhead. In fact, the bats were red hot for the whole team as the Javelinas tallied a .406 batting average in game one and a .400 in a game two where nine different Kingsville players recorded a hit.

The 2-0 start to the weekend evens up TAMUK's record at 4-4 through eight games, six of which the team played at the Mardi Gras Invitation where it faced two different top-15 ranked teams in the nation. 

The day started with an exciting, back-and-forth ballgame that went to an extra inning. Kingsville jumped on UCCS early, collecting four straight runs across the first two innings to start the game, before the Mountain Lions returned with five of their own to take the lead in the top of the fourth. Before the fifth inning even came around, however, TAMUK took the lead right back courtesy of a two-RBI double from freshman Alexis Soliz. Once again little time was wasted before UCCS scored two in the fifth to tie it in the fifth. 

The score stayed at seven until the eighth when a two-run blast from the Mountain Lions gave them a two run lead in the top of the frame. With the game on the line, the Javelina bats took over once more. First, an RBI single from senior Sophie Campbell cut TAMUK's deficit to just one. Next, freshman Faith Nunez tied it up with another RBI single, before sophomore Anabella Ramirez posted a bases-loaded, RBI walk to give her squad a walk-off win in its second straight game.

Kingsville's offense continued to fire on all cylinders in the second game, where the team knocked in four homers in its first four innings to open up a seven-run lead on the Dragons. Joining Evans' two was sophomore Laney Doelitsch who had a solo shot in the third, and freshman Savannah Garza who had another one just an inning later. TAMUK's bullpen then stepped up, allowing just one run from the Dragons in the final four innings. Sophomore Morgan McGaugh came in in relief in the third inning and threw 2.1 with just one earned run, recording her first win of the season. She and freshman Esther Martinez, who threw a hitless final two innings, allowing the team to hold on to its advantage and salt away its third straight win.


The Javelinas will be back on the diamond tomorrow morning with a very quick turnaround from their nightcap tonight, which finished about 11 p.m.. They will open up day two of play at the WT Invite against Lincoln (Mo.) at 9 a.m.. They'll match up with UCCS again at 1:30 p.m. as well.
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