THIBODAUX, La. – The Texas A&M - Corpus Christi softball team earned its first Southland Conference series win of the season today after splitting with Nicholls in a doubleheader at the Colonel Softball Complex.
The Islanders (6-19-1, 2-7 SLC) registered 25 hits today and were powered by senior Hayley Galloway who hit .714 in the two games combined. Senior Lindsey Lyles also had a solid day as she hit .667.
After dropping a 12-11 heartbreaker in the first game to Nicholls (17-11, 5-4 SLC) in the bottom of the seventh, sophomore Brittney Morse lifted the Islanders to a 8-6 win in the second game with a two-run single in the top of the seventh. The Islanders matched a season-high 13 hits in the second game as five Islanders finished with two hits each.
The Islanders will remain on the road to face Houston in a midweek doubleheader on Wednesday, March 25.
For the latest information, follow Islanders Softball on Twitter and Instagram (@IslandersSball) and Facebook (Islanders Softball). Fans can also receive updates on the team by downloading the Islanders Front Row App at GoIslanders.com/frontrow.
GAME 1: NICHOLLS 12, TEXAS A&M - CORPUS CHRISTI 11
In a game that featured 29 hits, the Islanders jumped out to an early lead and maintained its lead until the bottom of the seventh. The Colonels put together a four-run frame that was capped off by a walk-off two-run home run to secure a 12-11 win. The Islanders' 11 runs marked a new season-high for the team.
Lyles and Galloway both went 3-for-3 to power the Islanders' bats while sophomore Liz Carter went 3-for-4, including her first career home run. Morse also chipped in with two hits to help the Islanders record 12 hits, one shy of their season high.
Just like Friday's game, the Islanders started off with a strong start to take a 1-0 lead. After Cosette Hernandez reached on a leadoff error, Dani Tefft did her job to advance Hernandez to second with a sacrifice bunt. After a groundout by Morse, Carter drilled a RBI single to center field to plate Hernandez and put the Islanders on the board.
The Islanders added another run in the top of the second after Lyles hit her sixth double of the season with a shot to left center to leadoff the frame. Galloway then followed with a sacrifice bunt to third before Jessica Mendez stepped to the plate and hit a RBI sacrifice fly out to right field to score Lyles.
A&M - Corpus Christi's bats kept things rolling with three hits in the top of the third to score three runs and give the Islanders a 5-0 lead. Carter ripped her second RBI single of the day to plate Tefft, who reached on a fielder's choice. Galloway then kept the momentum going in the Islanders' direction as she crushed a two-run single to right field to bring Morse and Carter across. Morse reached on a one-out walk before Carter picked up her second hit of the game.
The Colonels rallied back to score four runs on five hits in the bottom of the third to trim the Islanders' lead to one. Brooke Morris scored on an Islanders' throwing error and Alexis Huss came across home plate after a RBI single by Kayla Prater. After a single by Danielle Phillips put Colonels on first and second, Jessica Taylor reached on a walk to load the bases. Kristen Ahearn was then hit by the pitch, as Prater came around to score. Nicholls recorded their fourth run of the game after Haley Stevenson hit a RBI single through the middle to plate Phillips. The Islanders escaped the frame after Hernandez snagged a pop fly at third.
The Islanders answered back with four runs on four hits in the top of the fourth to extend their lead to 9-4. After Mackinzee Griebel and Hernandez reached on back-to-back walks they both picked up a stolen base. Tefft then hit a RBI groundout to score Griebel. Morse then sent a RBI single through the middle to score Hernandez. The Islanders padded their lead after Carter stepped to the plate and cranked a two-run home run over the left center wall. It marked Carter's first career homer and the Islanders' ninth of the season.
Nicholls once again clawed its way back with three runs on three hits in the bottom of the fourth to pull within two at 9-7. Huss hit a two-run double to left field before Prater sent a RBI sacrifice fly out to Griebel in center to plate Huss.
After a quiet fifth inning, the Islanders put up a pair of runs in the top of the sixth after a trio of hits. Morse led off the frame with her second hit of the game with a single to right center before the Colonel's Hannah Haydel retired the next two Islanders. Lyles then recorded her second double of the game with a shot to left field to bring Brianne Trost around to score. Trost came in to pinch run for Morse and picked up her first stolen base of her career before scoring. The Islanders' bats remained red-hot as Galloway scored Lyles with a RBI single to left center to give the Islanders an 11-7 lead.
The Colonels added a run in the bottom of the sixth after Taylor scored Cari Spain on a RBI single to center field with two outs. Nicholls kept battling as they scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh to earn the win. Payton Gremillion hit a RBI double to center field to score Haley Parkerson before Huss hit a two-run walk-off home run over the right field wall to score Morris and give the Colonels the win.
Carter (4-12) took the loss for the Islanders in the circle. She allowed 10 hits, eight runs and two walks while striking out one in three innings. Katie Blanar came in relief and allowed seven hits, four runs and one walk in three frames.
Haydel (10-5) earned the win in the Colonels' circle. She came in relief and allowed seven hits and four runs while picking up two strikeouts in four innings.
GAME 2: TEXAS A&M - CORPUS CHRISTI 8, NICHOLLS 6
The Islanders' bats matched a season-high 13 hits en route to an 8-6 win in the second game today to clinch the series victory. After going neck-and-neck throughout the game, the Islanders and Colonels headed to the top of the seventh tied at 6-6. With two outs, Morse sent a RBI single to left field to plate Mendez and Hernandez and push the Islanders' ahead. Carter then relieved Blanar in the circle in the bottom of the seventh and held the Colonels off the board to earn her first career save. Blanar came in relief for junior Stephanie Flores in the bottom of the sixth and earned her third career victory and first this season.
The Colonels started the second game off strong and built an early 2-0 lead. Prater hit a RBI single with two outs to score Morris who reached on a one-out walk. Phillips then brought Prater across home plate after she hit a RBI single to center field.
The Islanders quickly answered back in the top of the second with two runs on two hits. After Galloway hit a one-out single to right field, Mendez and Griebel reached on back-to-back errors to load the bases. After a fielder's choice, Tefft ripped a single through the middle to bring Mendez and Griebel across home plate.
After escaping the bottom of the second with Colonels on second and third, A&M - Corpus Christi pushed ahead 4-2 with two outs after scoring two runs on three hits in the top of the third. Mickayla Cochran started the rally with a single through the left side before advancing to second on a single by Galloway. Mendez then scored Cochran on a RBI single through the middle. Next Mendez swiped second before Galloway scored on a wild pitch for the Islanders' fourth run of the game.
Nicholls pulled within one in the bottom of the third after Phillips scored on a RBI single by Ahearn after hitting a two-out double to left field.
The Islanders kept the offense rolling to pad its lead to 5-3 in the top of the fourth. Morse drilled a RBI single through the middle to plate Hernandez who led off the frame with an infield single.
The Colonels then responded with a run of their own in the bottom of the fourth before the Islanders put up a run in the top of the fifth to take a 6-4 lead. With two outs, Griebel reached on an infield single before Hernandez blasted her fourth double of the season to score Griebel.
Once again the Islanders saw their lead evaporate in the bottom of the fifth as the Colonels took advantage of a couple Islanders' mishaps to knot the game at 6-6.
After a scoreless sixth inning that saw double plays by both teams to end the frame, the Islanders battled back to plate two runs in the top of the seventh to earn the win. Mendez and Hernandez both drew walks before advancing to second and third on a wild pitch. After Tefft hit a groundout for the second out of the frame, Morse crushed a two-run single to left field to score Mendez and Hernandez and put the Islanders ahead 8-6.
Carter then came in to close out the game in the bottom of the seventh, and allowed just one hit while ending the game on a strikeout.
Hernandez, Cochran and Galloway all went 2-for-4, while Tefft and Morse went 2-for-5. Lyles, Mendez and Griebel all chipped in one hit apiece to help the Islanders edge the Colonels in the hit column, 13-12.
The Islanders used all three of their pitching staff as Flores earned the start and allowed six runs, four of them earned, while walking one and striking out one in fiving innings. Blanar (1-0) came in relief in the bottom of the sixth and allowed just two hits before Carter picked up the save.
Taylor Hastings (3-1) suffered the loss for the Colonels in 6.1 innings. She allowed 10 hits and seven runs, five of them earned while walking five Islanders.
