LAS
CRUCES, N.M. - Kim Connelly combined to go 6-for-6 and
drove in six runs in the first two games of the Troy Cox S, N.M.
–Classic hosted by New Mexico State as the Islanders beat
Indiana State 11-5 and Utah Valley State 9-0 in five innings.
The Islanders
(5-4) combined for 23 hits in the two games, including a
season-high 14 in the opener against
Indiana State. Connelly
finished the day with a homer and two doubles, while Margo Hurdt
and Lauren Peters each had three hits. "Kim is swinging like she has been all
year," head coach Jake Schumann said. "That first weekend she was in a
slump, but she got her timing back and now she has people talking
about her."
In the first
game, Indiana State jumped on the Islanders early with three runs
in the bottom of the first off four hits, but they would rally back
with four runs in the top of the second. Hurdt led off the inning with a single
to right, followed by a double down the left line by Larissa Martin
before Connelly drove them in with a single up the middle. Lauren Peters followed with an
infield single for one of her three hits on the day.
The Islanders
would tack on another run the following inning on an RBI single by
Peters, driving in Hurdt, who singled to the pitcher.
The Sycamores
closed the gap with a run in the bottom of the inning off two hits
and would eventually tie the game at five with a run in the bottom
of the fourth.
A&M-Corpus
Christi would take the lead for good with four more runs in the top
of the fifth, two of which came from Connelly, who homered, driving
in Martin, who reached on a fielder's choice. The Islanders would eventually score
two more in the sixth for their fourth win of the season.
Freshman
pitcher Nicole Russell went the distance, giving up four earned
runs while striking out seven and allowed nine hits.
In the second
game, the Islanders scored eight runs in the bottom of the first,
three of which came on walks. Stephanie Estrada tripled to center
field with two outs to score Lauren Sanders, who singled to start
the inning and later reached on an RBI fielder's choice, and
McKenzie Clark.
It would be all
Martin would need in the circle for the Islanders as she gave up
eight hits without a run and struck out four without a walk.
"Hitting was
the name of it today. That
is what got us through. We
didn't play very well the first game. We walked a lot of runners and gave
them a few bases. The
second game we came out hitting and jumped on them right away,"
Schumann said.
The Islanders
will continue play tomorrow against Oklahoma State at 12:30 p.m.
CST.
