WACO, Texas – The Texas A&M - Corpus Christi softball team came up short in a doubleheader against No. 10/11 Baylor (4-0) today on the second day of competition in the Getterman Classic at Getterman Stadium.
Juniors Cosette Hernandez and Dani Tefft along with sophomore Jessica Mendez propelled the offense in the two games with two hits apiece while Hernandez nailed her first career double as an Islander.
The Islanders (0-4) will conclude play tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. against either Wichita State or Stephen F. Austin.
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GAME 1: NO. 10/11 BAYLOR 6, TEXAS A&M - CORPUS CHRISTI 3
The Islanders got off to a strong start in the opening frame to take a 1-0 lead. With one out, sophomore Brittney Morse reached on a fielder's choice and senior Lindsey Lyles landed on first after a throwing error by the Bears' Brooke Seneshen. With two outs and runners on the corners, Hernandez drilled an infield RBI single to third and scored Morse to put the Islanders on the board.
The Bears answered with a run of their own in the bottom half of the frame after Lindsey Cargill scored on a RBI fielder's choice by Sarah Smith. Cargill reached on a single to left field before stealing second and moving to third after Linsey Hays was hit by the pitch.
The Islanders garnered the lead back in the top of the second after sophomore Mackinzee Griebel scored on a RBI single to shortstop by Tefft. Griebel reached first and advanced to third after a throwing error by Caitlin Charlton.
The Islanders maintained the lead until the Bears' bats caught fire in the bottom of the third to take a 4-2 lead. After Cargill reached on an infield single she advanced to second on an Islanders' throwing error before picking up a stolen base. Hays then followed suit with a RBI single through the middle to score Cargill and put the Bears on the board. Sarah Smith then stepped to the plate and hit a two-run home run over the left field wall to give the Bears the lead. The Islanders pulled out of the jam after consecutive fly outs.
Baylor tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the fourth to pad its lead to 6-2. After sophomore Katie Blanar replaced junior Stephanie Flores in the Islanders' circle, Ari Hawkins scored on a RBI infield single by Kaitlyn Thumann after registering a single. Next, Thumann was caught stealing as the Islanders registered the 2-6-3 putout for the third out, but it was after Cargill swiped home for the sixth run of the game. Prior to that, Cargill reached on a fielder's choice and advanced to third on Thumann's RBI single.
The Islanders then trimmed the deficit to three in the top of the fifth. Griebel led off the frame with an infield single and scored on a muffed throw by the Bears' Seneshen as Tefft advanced to second on the play. The Bears retired the next three Islanders to end the inning.
Mendez drilled an infield single in the sixth but that's all the Bears would allow as they secured the 6-3 win.
Flores (0-1) took the loss for the Islanders in three innings. The junior allowed five hits, four runs and one walk while recording one strikeout. Blanar allowed two hits, two runs and one walk while also registering one strikeout in three innings.
Tefft, Hernandez, Mendez and Griebel each chipped in one hit apiece in the loss.
Seneshen (1-0) sealed the win for the Bears in five innings. She held the Islanders to three hits, three unearned runs and one walk while striking out three. Heather Stearns earned the save after allowing just one hit in two innings. She also racked up three strikeouts.
GAME 2: NO. 10/11 BAYLOR 3, TEXAS A&M - CORPUS CHRISTI 0
The Islanders battled the Bears and held them scoreless until costly errors in the bottom of the fifth put them on the board and propelled them to victory.
A&M - Corpus Christi started off strong as hurler Liz Carter settled in and retired eight straight Bears following a single through the left side in the bottom of the first by Cargill. Cargill then ended the streak with an infield single in the bottom of the fourth.
Carter was spot on retiring the next four batters she faced until a single down the right baseline in the bottom of the fifth and a passed ball put a Bear on second. Caitlin Charlton then reached on an Islanders' throwing error and Carter issued her first walk of the game to load the bases. Hawkins then stepped to the plate and hit a fielder's choice and the Islanders commited a throwing error to home plate which resulted in two runs for Baylor. The Islanders escaped the frame with a pop fly and a ground out.
In the top of the sixth, Tefft put herself in scoring position after drilling a single to center field and landing on second on a passed ball, but the Bears' defense pulled them out of the jam.
The Bears tacked on another run in the bottom of the sixth after a two-out RBI double by Shelby Friudenberg to left center plated Jordan Strickland, who reached on a single through the middle. A fly out to Mickayla Cochran in center field capped the frame and the scoring.
Tefft, Hernandez and Mendez each added one hit apiece for the Islanders' bats.
Carter (0-3) suffered the loss for the Islanders in six innings. The sophomore allowed just one earned one, five hits and one walk.
Kendalll Potts (1-0) picked up the win for the Bears. She held the Islanders to three hits and one walk while recording six strikeouts in seven innings.
