Austin - In its season finale, the Texas A&M - Kingsville softball team played an 11-inning, and a nine-inning nailbiter against St. Edward's, falling 7-6 in game one before finishing its year on a high note with a 7-6 win in game two.
Despite the final score, game one was largely a pitcher's duel, with freshman RHP
Arianna Alaniz throwing a gem, striking out nine and allowing just two earned runs in 10.0 IP. The game also saw her reach 200 strikeouts in her young career, becoming just the fourth Javelina in program history to throw 200 Ks in a season.
Game two was defined by the late inning play of the do-it-all graduate student
Lindsey Evans. Playing in her final game in the blue and gold, played every position in the infield (minus pitcher), and went 3-5 with four RBIs, including a two-run bomb in the seventh to force extra innings, and an inside-the-park homer in the ninth to win the game.
In total, six different Javelinas posted a multi-hit game on Sunday, including right fielder
Seleste Compian, who put up two of them.
Game one began on rocky footing, as both of Alaniz's earned runs were given up in the bottom of the first frame. Kingsville sat with that two-run deficit until the fourth inning, when it loaded the bases and brought in two walkathon runs, with DP
Laney Doelitsch and second baseman
Faith Nunez drawing RBI base on balls to tie up the game. That's when defense took over, as Alaniz worked herself out of multiple jams and collected strikeout after strikeout, helping Javelina fans watch 11 straight scoreless sides - four of them coming in extras.
As extra innings rolled around, senior second baseman
Sophie Campbell stepped up big time. She was 3-5 with two RBIs on the day, one of which came in the top of the 10th to score
Elena Gonzales and give Kingsville the lead. Though the Hilltoppers got one back in the bottom of the frame to force the 11th, the Javelinas plated three runs, with Campbell and sophomore catcher Neveah Lanter each notching ribbies. A four-run bottom of the first after a Kingsville pitching change, however, saw St. Ed's eliminated TAMUK from postseason contention by squeaking out with a win.
Game two proved just as wild. With the Lone Star Conference Tournament out of reach, Head Coach
Orlando Salinas moved Evans all around the infield, as she played in short, covered each bag, and even played behind the dish for the closing innings of the game. While she excelled at each position, committing zero errors in the game, it was her offense that provided a much-needed spark. Compian and sophomore first baseman
Dakota Martinez were the first to send runs home for Kingsville in the second game, tying up the game with a pair of RBI singles in the third. The Javelinas didn't score again until the fifth when, down by two, Evans knocked a standup double, tying the game once again. As if that wasn't enough, just two innings later with TAMUK down to its final two outs, Evans sent one over the Hilltoppers' 'mini monster' in left field, tying the game one more time and forcing extra innings. Due up one final time in the ninth, she sent one deep into left field and turned on the afterburners. Taking advantage of SEU errors, Evans streaked around the bases, flying home for the game-winning score.
After ending its season in the win column, the 2025 TAMUK softball team finishes 24-31 overall with a 19-25 record in LSC play.
