Miami, Fla. - The Texas A&M-Corpus Christi softball team opened
the season Friday morning with two tough losses at the FIU Combat
Classic Tournament on the campus of Florida International
University.
The Islanders
opened the morning against the Jacksonville Dolphins, losing a
close 1-0 decision. TAMUCC
followed that game up by playing the Auburn Tigers immediately
following the first game, dropping a 2-0 game to the SEC opponent
who appeared in an NCAA regional last season.
The Islanders
are now 0-2 on the season after the first day of the FIU
tournament. Stacie
Tassin pitched the entire game against Jacksonville to fall to
0-1 on the year. Addie
Tallman started the second game and went the whole way as well
to fall to 0-1 on the season.
"I was happy
with the way our pitchers performed today." said Head Coach Jake
Schumann. "We did
outstanding with our pitching and defense and they gave us a great
chance out there.
In the first game of the day, the
Islanders were the home team against Jacksonville of the Atlantic
Sun Conference. The Dolphins got the only run of the
game when Amanda Smith singled to open the top of the second
inning. Ashley Mora then
followed with a walk to put runners at first and second. Brie Cormack followed up with a
single to left center field to plate Smith and give the Dolphins
their only run of the day.
The one run
would hold up however, as the Islanders threatened but were unable
to push a run across the plate. Their biggest threat was in the bottom
of the third inning when Andrea
Simancas singled on a bunt and stole second base. Lauren
Sanders singled on the infield and advanced to second base
while Simancas was able to take third base.
Kim
Connelly struck out swinging but was able to advance to first
base on an error by the Jacksonville catcher to load the
bases. The Islanders were
not able to do any more damage however, as Margo
Hurdt lined out to first base for the first out, followed by
pop-us to second base by Stephanie
Estrada and Sandy
Schumann to end the inning.
"It was a
little frustrating that we weren't able to capitalize on
opportunities we had today." said Schumann. "We just have to make adjustments
better at the plate and we will be alright."
The Islanders were not able to
threaten again; amassing only two hits the rest of the way to fall
by the 1-0 final. Sanders and Larissa
Martin led the TAMUCC offense with two hits apiece. Sanders had the only extra-base hit
for the Islanders with a double. Simancas and Alaina
Byars each added one hit to round out the offensive
effort. Tassin
pitched all seven innings, giving up one run on seven hits and two
walks. She also struck out
two Dolphin batters.
In the second game of the day, the
Islanders faced off against Auburn. The Islanders were not able to get
going offensively, being held hitless in the contest. The Tigers got single runs in the
third and fourth innings to finish with a 2-0 final.
In
the third inning, Megan Mitchell singled to center. Mitchell was then thrown out at third
base when Kayla Tatum reached on an error by Alejia
Cain, who recovered to get Mitchell out trying to stretch the
play. After a line drive out for the second out of the inning,
Tatiana Fernandez walked while Tatum stole second base. Myesha
Finney singled to center field to score Tatum on an unearned
run.
In
the fourth inning, Lauren Guzman opened the inning by getting hit
by a pitch and advancing to second base on a wild pitch. Alexa Martinez grounded out to
advance Guzman to third base. Guzman then scored on a wild pitch for
the second run of the game for the Tigers.
Tallman
pitched six innings for the Islanders, giving up two runs, one of
them earned, on four hits and three walks. Tallman struck out three Tiger batters
in the game.
TAMUCC
now gets ready to face off against Louisville at 9 AM tomorrow and
then face host school FIU immediately following that game at 11
AM. The Islanders then play
North Carolina on Sunday morning at 11 AM.
"We have two
more tough tests tomorrow."
said Schumann. "We should
be able to come out and swing the bats better."
