CORPUS CHRISTI – After falling short 3-2 in the series opener, sophomore Brittney Morse cranked a three-run walk-off homer in the bottom of the seventh to lift the Texas A&M - Corpus Christi (13-23-1, 8-9 SLC) softball team past Lamar, 6-5, today in the second game at Chapman Field.
Morse had a strong day at the plate as she hit .571 with a pair of home runs and five RBIs. Mickayla Cochran also put together a solid performance as she hit .429.
The Islanders and Lady Cardinals (20-19, 11-6 SLC) will wrap the series tomorrow in a rubber match at 12 p.m.
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GAME 1: LAMAR 3, TEXAS A&M - CORPUS CHRISTI 2
The Islanders and Lady Cardinals went neck-and-neck in the first five innings before Lamar put up a pair of runs in the sixth and one in the seventh to secure a 3-2 win.
Jessica Mendez finished 2-for-2 to lead the Islanders' bats while Dani Tefft, Morse and Cochran each chipped in one hit apiece.
Hurler Liz Carter came out strong to start the game as she retired six straight in the second and third innings, including four strikeouts. The Islanders recorded the first hit of the game in the bottom of the second after Cochran reached on an infield single, but the Islanders were unable to capitalize. Then in the bottom of the third, Mendez started things off with a single through the right side before being called out after a fielder's choice by Mackinzee Griebel. Cosette Hernandez then reached on a fielder's choice before advancing to second on a single by Tefft to left field. However, Lamar was able to pull out of the jam.
Carter didn't allow a hit until the top of the fifth when Brynn Baca hit a leadoff single through the left side. She then advanced to third after back-to-back sacrifice bunts. After a hit by pitch, the Islanders caught Baca stealing to end the frame.
Lamar tacked up the first runs of the game in the top of the sixth with two outs after scoring a pair on two hits. After Shannon Sain drew a one-out walk, Stephanie Meeuwsen hit a single through the left side. Sable Hankins then did her job to advance the Lady Cards to second and third with a sacrifice bunt. A walk by Carter then loaded the bases before Baca hit a two-run single to center field to score Sain and Meeuwsen. The Islanders however escaped the jam after a hit by pitch loaded the bases and Mendez snagged the lineout at shortstop.
A&M - Corpus Christi answered back in the bottom of the sixth to cut Lamar's lead to one after Morse cranked a one-out solo home run over the left field wall to put the Islanders on the board.
In the final frame, the Islanders and Lady Cardinals each hit a home run as Lamar earned the win. Casey Cromwell hit a leadoff home run over the center field wall and Mendez recorded her first homer of her career with a shot over the center field wall.
Carter (9-14) suffered the loss for the Islanders in her 38th career complete game. The sophomore allowed five hits, three runs and four walks while striking out five in seven innings.
In the Lady Cardinals' circle, Laura Napoli (14-10) earned the win in seven innings. She allowed five hits, two runs and one walk while picking up one strikeout.
GAME 2: TEXAS A&M - CORPUS CHRISTI 6, LAMAR 5
After a 30-minute rain delay, the Islanders and Lady Cardinals went back-and-forth in the second game trading leads. The visitors then headed into the bottom of the seventh with a 5-3 lead but the Islanders rallied back as Morse hit a three-run walk-off homer to lift the Islanders to a 6-5 victory in the second game.
The Islanders' bats put together a solid effort as they outhit the Lady Cardinals, 10-7. Morse went 3-for-4 to lead the Islanders' bats, while Griebel finished 2-for-3 and Cochran went 2-for-4. Hernandez, Carter and Hayley Galloway each added one hit apiece.
The Islanders jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first after Morse hit a RBI single through the right side with two outs to score Hernandez who led off the game with a single to center field.
Both teams then put up a pair of runs up in the third inning as the Islanders pushed ahead 3-2. In the top of the third, after an Islanders' throwing error and sacrifice bunt put Marissa LeJune on second, Sarah Ragsdale hit a single to left field before advancing to second on an Islanders' throwing error as Marissa LeJune stole home. The Islanders then recorded the second out of the inning after Lindsey Lyles snagged the fly out, but Meeuwsen followed with a RBI triple down the right field line to bring Ragsdale across home plate.
A&M - Corpus Christi garnered the lead back after scoring two runs on three hits in the bottom of the third. Cochran and Morse registered consecutive singles before Carter was hit by the pitch to load the bases. Galloway then stepped to the plate and hit a RBI double to right center to bring Cochran and Morse across, as Carter was called out at home and Galloway advanced to third. Lamar escaped the jam with a strikeout.
The Islanders maintained the lead until Lamar plated a pair of runs in the top of the sixth and one in the top of the seventh to push ahead 5-3. In the top of the sixth, LeJune hit a two-out single to center field as Baylie Comeaux came around to score and Baca crossed home plate on an Islanders' throwing error.
Then in the top of the seventh, Jenna Holland hit a RBI single to left field with two outs to score Meeuwsen who reached on a bunt single.
A&M - Corpus Christi didn't give up though as they rallied back with one out in the final frame. Hernandez reached on an error by Lamar to start things off before landing on second after a groundout by Tefft. The Islanders then put runners in scoring position as Cochran hit a single through the middle to move Hernandez to third. Cochran then picked up her sixth stolen base of the season as Morse battled at the plate. The sophomore then sent her second home run of the day over the right field wall to give the Islanders the win.
Junior Stephanie Flores (3-7) earned the win for the Islanders in seven innings. She allowed seven hits, five runs, just two of them earned, while walking five and striking out six Lady Cardinals.
Napoli (14-11) tallied the loss for Lamar after coming in relief in the bottom of the fifth. She allowed three hits and three runs, two of them earned in 2.1 innings.
