Fifth-Inning Surge Leads Islanders to Road Victory

SAN ANTONIO – A huge six-run fifth inning for the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi softball team propelled the Islanders to an 8-6 victory on the road against the University of Texas – San Antonio on Tuesday night.

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Liz Carter led the way for the Blue and Green (15-27) with the win in the circle and a 2-for-3 performance with an RBI at the plate. In addition to Carter's outing at the plate, Aspen Auger, Dani Tefft, Cosette Hernandez and Megan Mitchell added RBI in the win.

A&M-Corpus Christi held an 8-3 lead going into the final frame, before the Roadrunners (18-28) cut the lead to two before the Islander finished the game.

"We didn't hit the ball very well today, but kept our foot on the gas, scored the runs and made the defensive stops we needed in order to come away with the win," head coach Stephanie Hughes said.

After a slow start to the game offensively, Carter opened the scoring with her first home run of the season in the third inning to give the Islanders a 1-0 lead. Cosette Hernandez pushed the lead to two on an RBI ground out the following inning.

The Roadrunners capitalized in the bottom half of the fourth to take a 3-2 lead. UTSA outfielder Bailee Baldwin sparked the run with a solo shot to right, before an RBI double and a bases loaded walk put the hosts ahead.

A&M-Corpus Christi came roaring back in the top of the fifth to take the lead for good. Following leadoff walks to Megan Mitchell and Mackinzee Griebel, Dani Tefft lined a base hit to left center to level the score at 3-3.

Two batters later, Aspen Auger notched a pair of RBI on an opposite field single, as the Islanders added a trio of insurance runs before the end of the inning.

A hard hit shot by freshman Candice Hadd proved too hot for the UTSA second baseman, as the error enabled Auger and Jessica Mendez to trot home unscathed. Mitchell returned to the box for the second time in the inning to notch her fifth RBI of the year with a bullet passed the first baseman, as Carter trotted home to make the score 8-3.

The insurance proved to be pivotal as UTSA made it interesting in the seventh, loading the bases with no outs. Back-to-back runs with one out created a tense situation for the Blue and Green, as the Roadrunners had clawed back to 8-5. An Islanders fielding error shed the advantage to two, before freshman pitcher Colleen Bentke snagged a rocket up the middle for the final out.

UTSA ran through the depth chart in the circle, using four different pitchers throughout the game. Nicole Merrill took the loss after an inning of work, giving up six runs, three earned, on three hits and two walks.

ONE-TWO PUNCH

In the circle for the Blue and Green, Carter and Bentke teamed up for the fourth time this season. Carter notched her ninth win of the season after four innings, while Bentke earned her second save of the year with a three-inning performance to close out the game.

Carter scattered six hits, allowed three earned runs, walked two and struck out six. Bentke surrendered seven hits and two walks with two earned runs.

"They're totally opposite pitchers, and not just left and right handed," added Hughes. "Liz is more of a power, in your face thrower, while Colleen has more in-and-out movement and keeps the ball down, which was our primary focus today. We planned with Liz starting and Colleen coming in later, so it really worked out for us today."

QUICK HITS

• Carter is up to 142 strikeouts in 2016.  With five more punchouts, the Austin native will become just the second player in Islanders history to reach the 147-mark in a season.

• With the win, the Islanders completed the season sweep of the Roadrunners and finish 4-2 in midweek contests this year. 

ON DECK

The Islanders return home for their final series at Chapman Field this year. A doubleheader against Abilene Christian starts the three-game set, before a solo contest versus the Wildcats on Saturday. A&M-Corpus Christi will honor its seniors, Alyson Bressie, Tefft, Stephanie Flores and Hernandez on Saturday.