San Angelo - Though the Javelinas fought back late in both contests, the Texas A&M-Kingsville softball team fell short of the No.8 Angelo St. Rambelles in Sunday's doubleheader, losing 6-2 and 6-5.
The Hogs scored five of their seven runs on the day in the fifth inning or later, evening taking a late lead in game one, but struggled to bring runners in scoring position home finishing out their road trip with a pair of close losses. They move Kingsville to .500 both overall and in Lone Star Conference play (10-10, 5-5 LSC).
Two different Javelinas, junior first baseman/DP
Dakota Martinez and freshman OF
Victoria Vargas, were swinging red-hot bats. Each posted three-hit games and had a double on the day. Vargas finished the day 4-of-7 with two runs, a walk, and an RBI, while Martinez went 4-for-7 with a walk.
Game one began as a pitchers' duel, with the game holding at a scoreless tie through a full five innings. Senior RHP
Andrea Martinez got the start for the Javelinas and struck out a pair through those first five innings - marking her second straight start that began with a scoreless five frames. Kingsville finally broke the tie, striking first with an RBI single from sophomore third baseman
Alaunah Almaraz that scored Vargas and gave TAMUK a 1-0 lead in the sixth. Angelo was quick to respond, however, putting up a six-spot in the bottom of the sixth that secured it the win. In addition to their two late runs (one each in the sixth and seventh), the Hogs also had opportunities to do more damage, as they left the bases loaded in both the sixth and seventh.
There was a lot more early activity in game two, as the Rambelles jumped out to a big early lead thanks to crooked numbers in their first three sides. ASU scored two runs in each of its first three innings before junior RHP
Marianna Zumerle entered for TAMUK, finishing out the game by pitching three straight scoreless sides, giving up one hit and striking out one.
Though Kingsville did plate a pair of runs early in the game courtesy of an RBI fielder's choice from sophomore
Lainee Ballin in the first and an RBI single from Almaraz in the third, the team didn't begin its rally in earnest until late in the contest. The Javelinas began by bringing home freshman pinch runner
Brooke Castillo on an RBI FC from Almaraz, who finished with four RBI on the day, that got Kingsville within three in the fifth. They then brought two more home in the sixth with an RBI double from
Kennia Chong, followed by an RBI single from Vargas that had the Hogs within one. Once again, however, the team missed late opportunities, as it left four runners stranded between the fifth and sixth frames, ultimately leading to the loss.
Total on the day, TAMUK out-hit its top-ranked opponent, but was unable to end the first road trip of its LSC season with a win.
The games were the first two of four in the team's next six that come against top-15-ranked opponents, as the Javelinas will now return home to face off with Cameron in a Friday doubleheader (4:00 p.m. & 6:00 p.m.) before taking on No.13 Oklahoma Christian on Sunday (12:00 p.m. & 2:00 p.m.).
