Canyon - Freshman CF
Kennia Chong knocked a home run over the left-field wall, in the bottom of the eighth inning, breaking the 3-3 tie to give the Texas A&M-Kingsville softball team a walkoff win against Colorado State - Pueblo, keeping the Javelinas alive in the NCAA South Central Regional Tournament.
The team had lost, 5-4, to Angelo State earlier in the day, dropping Kingsville to the loser's bracket and making every game remaining for the squad a do-or-die contest. Trailing, 0-3 in the bottom of the seventh, down to their final two outs, the Javelinas put two aboard before sophomore SS
Megan Geyer shot the first home run of her career over the left-field fence, forcing extra innings. Then Chong, leading off the bottom of the eighth, picked up the eighth HR of her season, giving Kingsville the win.
TAMUK's win is the first at a Regional for the program since 2022. The team will now face off with Angelo State at noon on Saturday with a spot in the Regional final on the line. The Javelinas and Rambelles will be facing off for the seventh time this year.
Hog Home Runs
Friday featured elite Javelina hitting, including five long balls. Three of them came in game one, with freshman CF
Kennia Chong (8), junior 1B
Dakota Martinez (11), and sophomore RF
Lainee Ballin (9) each going yard against the Rambelles. Martinez's 11 homers this year now tie her for the sixth-most hit by a Javelina in a single season in program history.
Game two saw the crew save its best for last, hitting both of its home runs in the final two innings of the game, which scored three runs, came from Geyer to force extra innings. The other, which gave TAMUK a walkoff win, came from Chong, making her the fourth Javelina on the team to hit at least eight home runs this season.
Game Summary: Loss, 5-6, VS Angelo St.Â
The sixth matchup of the year between the Rambelles and Javelinas was, yet again, a dogfight. The two squads traded haymakers throughout the game, which featured four ties and five lead changes. It was a hot start for Kingsville offensively, as Chong's homer came in the top of the second, breaking the scoreless tie and giving TAMUK the lead. After an answer from ASU, Martinez's jack again gave the Hogs the lead. Later in the same inning, with the bases juiced, freshman 2B
Victoria Vargas added to  Kingsville's lead with an RBI single.Â
Once again, ASU had an answer, tying it up at 3-3 in its side of the fourth. Then Ballin struck, going deep into left to field to once again give TAMUK the advantage. After the Rambelles answered back with a crooked number, taking their first lead of the game, a Martinez RBI double knotted the game at 5-5, before ASU answered with a walkoff win in the home side of the seventh.
Game Summary: Win, 4-3, VS Colorado State-Pueblo
After the Javelinas dropped down to the losers' bracket, they faced off with the ThunderWolves, who they had already played twice this year (during non-conference play) splitting the games. Kingsville struggled to hit for the large majority of the game, leaving seven running stranded throughout the first six innings. That changed in the seventh, however, as the Hogs stopped hearts with a last-second rally. With just two outs left to play with, a pinch-hit base knock from sophomore
Julissa Vasquez was followed by a four-pitch walk ceded to Vargas, who has now reached base safely in 14 straight games. Then, Geyer made history, hitting the first home run of her collegiate career and forcing extras.Â
In the eighth, senior RHP
Andrea Martinez (W, 16-10) took over in the circle, going 1-2-3 in just 13 pitches, and setting up Chong. The leadoff hitter in the frame, Chong sent the fourth pitch of the at-bat out of the yard to give the Hogs the win. Junior RHP
Marianna Zumerle started the game in the circle for Kingsville and pitched the first seven innings with just 90 pitches and allowing just two earned runs.
Up Next:
Kingsville has set up the two best words in sports: Game Seven. At noon on Saturday, the Hogs will take on the Rambelles, marking the seventh time that the two teams will play each other this season. The winner will play West Texas A&M at 2:30 p.m. for the Regional Title - though TAMUK would have to beat WT twice in order to grab said crown. If that second game against the Lady Buffs is required, it will be played at noon on Sunday.
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