Islanders Drop Opening Games of Texas A&M Invitational

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – The Texas A&M-Corpus Christi softball team opened the Texas A&M-Invitational on Friday morning against UTEP. The Islanders recorded seven hits, but could not translate baserunners into runs, as the Blue and Green fell 10-2 in six innings. Cosette Hernandez and Dani Tefft went 2-for-3 in the morning contest as the only Islanders with multiple hits.

In the nightcap, the Blue and Green struggled against the No. 14 Texas A&M Aggies. The tournament hosts held A&M-Corpus Christi to just one hit in a 13-0 game over five innings. 

"I was disappointed with our performance in both games today," head coach Stephanie Hughes said. "We can perform at a much higher level than what we showed. Fortunately, we play both UTEP and Texas A&M again this weekend. We will build on our positives and learn from our mistakes heading into tomorrow's games."

RELATED: Box Score vs. UTEP | Box Score vs. Texas A&M

GAME 1 vs. UTEP, LOSS - 6, 10-2

After recording 17 runs on 33 hits, the Islanders opened their game against the Miners by loading the bases. Liz Carter brought Cosette Hernandez home with a single to left to plate the first run of the game. Despite four hits in the opening frame, the Blue and Green stranded a trio of runners after picking up the single run.

A three-run home run by Cortney Smith in the bottom of the second gave the Miners a lead that they would not relinquish. Brianne Trost caught a baserunner stealing for the first time this season in the bottom of the fourth, but the throw enabled the Minters to plate a run from third. 

Dani Tefft extended her hitting streak to five games in a row with an RBI double to left in the fifth pulled one back for the Islanders, but six runs across the fifth and sixth capped the game an inning early.

Carter (4-3, 2.68 ERA) took the loss after 4 1/3 innings of work, allowing seven runs, six earned, on eight hits, while walking three and striking out a pair.

Along with Smith, Kiki Pepi provided three RBI on a 2-for-3 performance at the dish. Taylor Grohmann picked up her third win of the season after five innings of work with two earned runs and two strikeouts.

GAME 2, Texas A&M - 5, Loss, 13-0

Starting pitcher Colleen Bentke (3-1, 4.73 ERA) took the brunt of the nation's leader in homeruns in the first inning, as Tori Vidales sent her fifth homer of the season over the left-field fence to give the hosts a 2-0 lead. 

The Islanders (7-5) could not hold the Aggies (14-1) from an efficient start to the game, as Texas A&M scored of the opening runs on seven hits through two innings.

In the top of the third, A&M-Corpus Christi had its best scoring opportunity of the game when Ashleigh Perez, Tefft and Hernandez loaded the bases with one away. Aggies starting pitcher Katie Marks forced Carter to pop-out, before striking out Aspen Auger to retire the side to preserve the shutout.

Five runs for the Aggies in the fourth inning sealed the victory.

Marks improved to 2-0 on the season with the shutout, after five innings of quality work, striking out four, while allowing just one hit, a Tefft single to center in the first.

Bentke suffered her first collegiate loss in the complete-game start. The College Station native allowed 13 runs, 11 earned, on 10 hits and finished with a pair of strikeouts. 

ON DECK

The Islanders will play a pair of games tomorrow, starting with an early rematch with UTEP at 10 a.m., followed by 12:15 p.m. contest against Indiana.