Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 HOUSTON, Texas – In the opening game of Saturday's doubleheader between the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi softball team and Houston Baptist, only one word could describe pitcher Liz Carter's performance – dominant. The Islanders ace earned her eighth win of the year with a three-hit shutout, as the Blue and Green downed the Huskies 1-0 in eight innings.
A four-run second inning for the Huskies in the second game ensured a Saturday split, as the hosts topped the Islanders 5-2.
RELATED: Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
GAME 1, WIN, 1-0
In just their second extra-inning game of the year, the Islanders (14-27, 4-16) limited the Huskies (15-23, 7-13) to just three hits, as Carter dominated in her fourth shutout of the year.
The Austin native started strong as five of the first six outs came by way of the strikeout. With 11 punchouts on the afternoon, Carter finished three shy of her career high and reached double digits for sixth time this season. In addition to her victims, Carter allowed one walk in her longest outing of the year.
Offensively, the Blue and Green strung together five hits. Cosette Hernandez notched her 11th multi-hit game of the year to lead the way. Carter, Aspen Auger and Adriana Farris added a hit.
A&M-Corpus Christi nearly took the lead in the fifth on a Mackinzee Griebel fly-out to center, but an excellent throw from Husky leftfielder Nicole Shedd beat pinch runner Savannah Sandoval tagging from third. After an empty scoreboard through regulation, the Islanders put up the lone tally in the eighth.
With runners on the corners, Dani Tefft broke for second to draw a throw from HBU catcher Caitlin Gun. The Huskies backstop hurled the ball into centerfield, as Hernandez trotted home to score the only run of the game. The double steal brought Tefft within five steals of third all time and took Hernandez' tally to six on the year.
Laci Belovsky went the distance for HBU, allowing five hits, one earned run and one walk with a pair of strikeouts.
GAME 2, LOSS, 5-2
Compared to the first game, when the Islanders erased any threat on the base paths, Houston Baptist converted on its early opportunities. The Huskies' big second inning started with a solo shot to center by Cecelia Bauer. The hosts notched four runs on six hits and left the bases loaded after two innings of play.
The four spot chased Islanders starting pitcher Stephanie Flores from the circle, as the senior lasted 1 2/3 innings after surrendering four earned runs on seven hits with two punchouts and one walk.
Colleen Bentke produced an impressive performance in relief. The College Station native went 4 1/3 innings and scattered four hits with one unearned run against.
The Islanders did not hold the Huskies to a three-up three-down inning until the sixth.
Down to the last chance in the seventh, Megan Mitchell, Griebel and Hernandez loaded the bases for the Islanders. Mitchell scored on a throwing error by the pitcher on a fielder's choice, before Farris brought home Griebel on a sacrifice fly.
The Blue and Green loaded the bases on three separate occasions, but only brought in a pair of runs, as the visitors stranded nine on the base paths.
A&M-Corpus Christi pieced together nine hits in the loss. Griebel picked up a career-high three hits to lead the offense. Hernandez registered her second multi-hit game in a row. With 13 on the year, the San Antonio native is three shy of breaking into the top-10 in a single season.
Despite giving up nine hits, Husky starting pitcher Shannon O'Connor surrendered one earned run with one walk and five strikeouts in the complete-game effort. Shay Orsak and Savana Guidry both went 2-for-4 to pace the hosts' 11-hit outing.
ON DECK
The Islanders and the Huskies wrap their three-game series tomorrow in the rubber match with a 2 p.m. first pitch at Husky Field. The Islanders will look to pick up their first series win in conference play this year.
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- Go Islanders -
