Lawton, OK - The Texas A&M - Kingsville softball team won a nine-inning dogfight, 3-2, in incredible fashion before falling 5-4 in the second half of the doubleheader to split the matchup against Cameron.
The Javelinas got their bats hot once again, scoring more runs Friday night than in their previous eight games combined, but they fell just short in the second game, moving to 20-25 overall and 15-19 in Lone Star Conference play.
Sophomore DP
Dakota Martinez, who went 3-4 in game one, led four different Javelinas with multi-hit games, joining senior first baseman
Kaylynne Ruiz, freshman second baseman
Faith Nunez, and freshman third baseman
Alexis Soliz. It was redshirt freshman catcher Neveah Lanter, however, who had the highlight of the day. In the top of the seventh inning, she played hero, scoring Martinez from second with an RBI single to break the tie and give TAMUK a 3-2 lead. Then, with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, she stole popped up from behind the dish, stretching out to make a leaping grab in foul territory to end the game.
Defensively, it was freshman RHP
Arianna Alaniz who dominated in the circle once again. She went the full nine innings - the second straight weekend in which she's pitching an extra-inning complete game - giving up six hits, two walks, and allowing just two runs while striking out 10, adding to her LSC-leading season strikeout total.
Before the extra-inning drama, it was the Javelinas who struck first in game one, as Ruiz and freshman catcher
Savannah Garza each drove in a run in the top of the second to give Kingsville a 2-0 lead, one which they held on to for just one inning before the Aggies knotted it up in the third, eventually sending it to extras.
The road team struck first again in game two, this time waiting until the top of the third inning to do most of its damage. First, Nunez scored Jasso in the second to break the scoreless tie, before Soliz and Jasso each knocked RBI doubles to add on to Kingsville's advantage in the third. Between the fourth and fifth innings, however, the Aggies plated five runs, taking a lead that they wouldn't give up, despite a solo homer from Nunez in the seventh to make it a one-run game.
The Javelinas will have a tight turnaround ahead of them as they take on No.19 Oklahoma Christian on Sunday at noon.
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