CORPUS CHRISTI – The Texas A&M - Corpus Christi softball team scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth to rally past Incarnate Word, 5-1, today in the series opener at Chapman Field. After the Cardinals tied the game at 1-1 in the fourth, the Islanders' bats came alive with four hits in the sixth to secure the win.
Senior Hayley Galloway finished 3-for-3 to propel the Islanders' bats (18-26-1, 13-11 SLC) while senior Lindsey Lyles went 2-for-2 and sophomore Liz Carter finished 2-for-3. Junior Cosette Hernandez also chipped in a pair of hits while senior Mickayla Cochran added one hit for the Islanders' offense who outhit the Cardinals (12-37, 4-21 SLC), 10-6.
The Islanders' jumped out to a strong start in the opening frame to take a 1-0 lead. Hernandez led off the game with an infield single before sophomore Mackinzee Griebel did her job to advance Hernandez to second with a sacrifice bunt. Cochran then hit a RBI groundout to score Hernandez before the Cardinals escaped the frame with a groundout.
A&M - Corpus Christi maintained its lead as Carter was remarkable in the circle, retiring the first nine Cardinals she faced. Then in the top of the fourth, Taylor Johnson tallied UIW's first hit of the game with a shot down the left field line. She sparked a rally as she scored on a RBI single to center field by Kristin Hebert.
Both teams went neck-and-neck until the Islanders' bats rallied with two outs in the bottom of the sixth. After sophomore Brittney Morse reached on a one-out walk, sophomore Jessica Mendez hit a fly out to right field for the second out. Carter then gave the Islanders momentum as she hit a single to right center to advance junior Alyson Bressie, who came in to pinch run for Morse to third. Carter advanced to second on the throw before Galloway ripped a two-run single through the middle to bring Bressie and Carter across home plate. Lyles then kept the rally going as she followed with a RBI single through the middle to plate Galloway. After Tefft reached on an infield error, Hernandez drilled her seventh double of the season with a shot to left center to score freshman Brianne Trost, who came in to pinch run for Lyles. Freshman Ashleigh Perez then came in to pinch hit for Griebel and hit a groundout to end the frame.
The Islanders held the Cardinals in the top of the seventh to secure the win and move closer to clinching a spot in the Southland Conference Tournament.
Carter (13-16) earned the win in the Islanders' circle. She allowed six hits, one run and two walks while striking out one Cardinal in seven innings.
Kristin Hebert (5-18) suffered the loss for UIW in six innings. She allowed 10 hits, five runs, four of them earned while walking two Islanders.
The Islanders and Cardinals will continue the series tomorrow with a doubleheader starting at 12 p.m. The Islanders will also honor seniors Cochran, Galloway and Lyles prior to the first game.
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.
