CORPUS CHRISTI – The Texas A&M - Corpus Christi softball team came up short today in a doubleheader against Wisconsin in the first two games of the Islanders Invitational at Chapman Field. The Badgers (3-4) put together a late rally in the opening game to squeeze out a 4-2 win, and the Islanders' two-run rally in the bottom of the seventh of the second game was just short as the Badgers held on to win 5-4.
Dani Tefft, Liz Carter, Mickayla Cochran and Cosette Hernandez led the Islanders' (0-7) bats in the two games with a pair of hits each.
The Islanders will continue action in the invitational on Friday, Feb. 13, when they host UAB at 3 p.m.
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GAME 1: WISCONSIN 4, TEXAS A&M - CORPUS CHRISTI 2
The Islanders and Badgers held each other scoreless until the fourth inning when Wisconsin scored a run on two hits. The Islanders answered back in the sixth to push ahead 2-1, but a three-run rally by the Badgers in the seventh lifted them to a 4-2 win.
In the top of the fourth, Samantha Arents hit a two-out double to right center before Nyah Rodman came in to pinch run for her. Katie Christner then followed with a RBI single to left field to score Rodman for the first run of the game.
After a scoreless fifth inning, the Islanders answered with two runs on two hits in the bottom of the sixth to garner a 2-1 lead. At her first career at-bat Savannah Sandoval reached on a walk before Hayley Galloway came back in to run and landed on second on a sacrifice bunt by Mackinzee Griebel. Next, Tefft ripped an infield single and Brittney Morse followed with a ground out to advance Galloway to third and Tefft to second. Carter then stepped to the plate and drilled a two-run single through the left side to plate Galloway and Tefft, and put the Islanders in front, 2-1.
The Badgers quickly spoiled the Islanders' lead as they answered with three runs on three hits in the top of the seventh. Megan Tancill led the frame off with an infield single before Carter recorded her seventh strikeout of the game, just one short of her career high. With one out, Marissa Mersch hit an infield single before Kelsey Jenkins reached on a fielder's choice as Tancill was called out at third. With runners on first and second, Chloe Miller reached on a hit by pitch to load the bases. Taylor-Paige Stewart then nailed a three-run double to right center to clear the bases and give the Badgers the 4-2 lead. The Islanders pulled out of the frame with a ground out to Carter.
In the final frame, Hernandez reached on a hit by pitch and advanced to third after back-to-back ground outs, but a fly out in foul territory by Galloway ended the game.
Tefft, Carter and Cochran each collected a hit while Carter tallied two RBIs.
The Badgers out-hit the Islanders 9-3 as Mersch and Ashley Van Zeeland each registered two hits apiece.
Carter (0-4) suffered the loss for the Islanders in seven innings. The sophomore allowed nine hits, four runs and two walks, while striking out a season-high seven batters.
Stewart (1-2) earned the win for the Badgers. She held the Islanders to three hits and two runs while walking two and striking out four in seven innings.
GAME 2: WISCONSIN 5, TEXAS A&M - CORPUS CHRISTI 4
Wisconsin scored a run in each of the third, fourth and fifth innings to take a 3-0 lead before the Islanders answered with two in the bottom of the sixth to trim the Badgers lead to one. After Wisconsin tacked on two more runs in the top of the seventh, the Islanders rallied back to score two in the bottom of the seventh, but their rally was short as Wisconsin held on to win 5-4.
In the third, the Badgers plated a run after a pair of Islanders' errors and two hits. With two outs, Tancill scored on a RBI single by Mersch after reaching on an infield single and advancing to third on an Islanders' throwing error.
Wisconsin posted its second run of the game in the top of the fourth after a double, wild pitch and a throwing error. Another run came across for the Badgers in the top of the fifth after Arents was hit by the pitch and Tancill scored after reaching on a single down the left field line.
The Islanders answered in the bottom of the fifth after freshman Ashleigh Perez hit a sacrifice fly to center field in her first career at-bat to score Hernandez, who reached on a walk.
In the top of the seventh, Wisconsin plated a pair of runs on four hits to extend their lead to 5-2. Tancill reached on a bunt and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Maria Van Abel. After a fielder's choice advanced Tancill to third, Arents drilled a two-run double to left field to plate a pair of Badgers. With bases loaded, Hernandez recorded the third out with the force out at third.
A&M - Corpus Christi didn't quit as they put together a strong fight in the bottom of the seventh to score two runs on three hits. Galloway started the inning off strong with her first double of the season with a shot down the left field line. After a pop fly and ground out advanced Galloway to third, Morse followed with her first double of the season to score Galloway. Carter kept the rally going with a RBI single through the left side to plate Morse before Mendez lined out to end the game.
Eight of the nine Islanders in the starting lineup registered at least one hit in the loss with Hernandez leading the way with two.
Stephanie Flores (0-3) took the loss for the Islanders in the circle. The junior allowed nine hits, five runs, just three of them earned, and two walks while striking out a season-high four batters in seven innings.
Annie Davis (2-1) picked up the win for the Badgers. She allowed nine hits, four runs and two walks while striking out two in seven innings.
