HOUSTON – The Texas A&M - Corpus Christi softball team split with Houston today in a non-conference doubleheader at Cougar Softball Stadium. The Islanders outhit the Cougars 8-4 en route to a 4-2 victory in the first game before Houston (17-17) rallied in the bottom of the seventh to capture a 9-8 win in the second game.
The Islanders (7-20-1) registered 17 hits in the two games combined and were led by Brittney Morse who went 4-for-8 for a .500 batting average. The sophomore also collected 11 total bases and registered an impressive 1.375 slugging percentage, to go along with two home runs. Sophomore Liz Carter also hit a pair of home runs and tallied a 1.429 slugging percentage.
The Islanders will now head back to the Coastal Bend to host Stephen F. Austin in a three-game Southland Conference series starting on Friday, March 27 at Chapman Field. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.
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: TEXAS A&M - CORPUS CHRISTI 4, HOUSTON 2
After Houston built an early 1-0 lead, the Islanders' bats rallied in the final two frames behind sophomore Aspen Auger's three-run home run to earn a 4-2 victory in the opening game.
Morse went 2-for-3 to lead the Islanders' bats while Auger picked up three RBIs after hitting her first career home run. Cosette Hernandez, Dani Tefft, Mickayla Cochran, Jessica Mendez and Mackinzee Griebel also helped the Islanders' outhit the Cougars, 8-4.
After a scoreless opening frame, Houston took an early lead in the bottom of the second. After back-to-back walks, Houston's Tiffani McKnight hit a fly out to Cochran in right field for the first out of the inning. After Courtney Kingler was hit by the pitch to load the bases, Kayla Holland hit a sacrifice fly out to center field to score Julana Shrum for the first run of the game.
The Islanders put a pair of base runners on in the top of the third. With one out, Griebel reached on a hit by pitch before Hernandez hit an infield single for the Islanders' second hit of the game. However, consecutive lineouts by the Islanders ended the frame.
Houston maintained its lead until the top of the sixth when the Islanders' bats caught fire to garner the lead. Morse started things off with her fifth double of the season with a shot to right center before Carter reached on a fielder's choice to shortstop. With Islanders on the corners, Auger came in to pinch hit for Lindsey Lyles and blasted her first career home run with a shot over the center field wall to give the Islanders a 3-1 lead.
The Islanders added an insurance run in the top of the seventh after Tefft drilled a RBI single to center field to plate Mendez who led off the frame with an infield single.
Houston answered with another run in the bottom of the seventh with two outs. After a two-out error by the Islanders, the Cougars plated a run across after De'Zha Scott hit a single and St. Pierre scored on the throw. That's all the Islanders would allow though as Tefft snagged the fly out in left field to conclude the game.
Carter (5-12) earned her fifth win of the season in the Islanders' circle. She held the Cougars to just three hits and one run, while walking three in five innings. Katie Blanar relieved Carter in the circle in the bottom of the sixth to earn her first career save. She allowed just one hit and one run in two innings.
Shrum (5-9) suffered the loss for Houston in seven innings. She allowed eight hits and four runs while striking out two batters.
GAME 2: HOUSTON 9, TEXAS A&M - CORPUS CHRISTI 8
The Islanders and Cougars went neck-and-neck in the second game, which featured seven home runs, including four from the Islanders, which tied a program-best in a game. It marked the seventh time in Islanders' history that the team has registered four home runs in a game, with the last one coming against Southern in 2010. Carter and Morse each hit two homers each to help spark the Islanders' offense.
After a back-and-forth battle, A&M - Corpus Christi surged ahead in the top of the seventh, but the Cougars capitalized in the final frame with a pair of hits and scored on an Islanders' mishap to secure the 9-8 win.
Carter finished 3-for-4, while Morse and Cochran each hit 2-for-4 to lead the Islanders' bats, who tallied nine hits in the game. Morse and Carter also each recorded four RBIs each.
Once again the Cougars took an early lead as they put up a run in the bottom of the second, but this time it was on a solo home run by Kris Davila with one out. Stephanie Flores then settled in and retired the next two Cougars.
The Islanders rallied back in the top of the third with two runs on two hits to push ahead 2-1. The Islanders loaded the bases after a single by Griebel and back-to-back walks. After a strikeout for the second out of the frame, Carter stepped to the plate and ripped her third double of the season with a two-run shot to left center to bring across Griebel and Hernandez.
Houston answered back in the bottom of the fourth with four runs on three hits to push ahead 5-2. Courtney Klingler hit a RBI single to score Shrum, who hit a leadoff double down the right field line. Sydney Gerbracht then came in to pinch hit and hit a three-run home run to push the Cougars ahead 5-2.
The Islanders quickly clawed their way back with four runs in the top of the fifth to push ahead 6-5. With one out, Hernandez hit an infield single before Tefft reached on a fielding error by the Cougars. Morse then stepped to the plate and cranked a three-run home run over the left center wall to knot the game at 5-5. Carter then followed suit and blasted her second career homer to push the Islanders ahead. The Cougars then pulled out of the frame with a strikeout and a groundout.
Houston once again responded with three runs on four hits in the bottom of the fifth to garner an 8-6 lead. Shelby Miller and Shrum hit consecutive singles before Davila sent her second home run of the game over the right field wall to plate Miller and Shrum. The Islanders' defense escaped the jam leaving a Cougar on first.
After a scoreless sixth inning, the Islanders grinded their way back in the top of the seventh as Morse and Carter sparked the offense, hitting back-to-back home runs for the second time with one out to knot the game at 8-8. Morse sent her 13th career homer over the left center wall, and is now tied for seventh place in the Islanders' all-time career records. Carter followed with her third one of her career with a shot over the center field wall. The Islanders kept battling as they put runners in scoring position after Auger drew a walk and Cochran nailed a single to right field. However a fly out and strikeout ended the rally.
In the final frame, the Cougar's Shrum hit a leadoff double to center field before Davila hit a single and advanced to second on an Islanders' throwing error as pinch runner Jordan Rains came around to score to give Houston the win.
Blanar (1-1) took the loss for the Islanders. She allowed six hits, four runs, three of them earned, while walking one and striking out one in three innings. Flores earned her 11th start in the Islanders' circle and allowed six hits and five runs, while walking one and striking out one in three innings.
Shrum (6-9) picked up the win for Houston. She came in relief and allowed three hits and two runs, while walking one and striking out three in 2.2 innings.
