CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – For the last four seasons,
Liz Carter and
Mackinzee Griebel have been guaranteed locks in the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi softball lineup, so it was fitting that for the final time in their careers the duo led the charge for the Islanders against the University of the Incarnate Word in Saturday's season finale.
In a game that needed extra innings, the Cardinals (13-40, 6-21) scored a pair of runs in the first bonus frame to send the Blue and Green (12-36, 4-20) to a 3-1 loss.
As she has done throughout her career, Carter (10-19) was a force in the circle all afternoon. The Austin native struck out eight batters, while scattering seven hits with one walk. All three Cardinals runs were unearned against the righty.
Both teams scratched runs across in the opening inning. Danielle Ramirez came in from third on a passed ball to put the visitors on top.
Corpus Christi responded in the bottom half to tie the game.
Savannah Sandoval walked to start the inning and worked her way to third on a Griebel single. Carter reached on a fielder's choice to short, as Sandoval beat the throw home to tie the game.
Following the first inning, Carter battled with UIW starting pitcher Joanna Valencia (7-8), as the two hurlers kept the teams scoreless through regulation. The Cardinals managed to put a runner in scoring position just once, coming in the third, when the Islanders righty fanned Christy Trevino to end the inning with a runner on third.
Corpus Christi had runners in scoring position on three occasions. The best opportunity to score came after
Alexis Richardson, who went 1-for-2 with a walk, reached third in the third, but the Islanders lined out to right to end the frame.
The Cardinals took the lead in the eighth. With two outs and runners on second and third, Kristin Hebert grounded to short, but the throw to first was not caught by the Islanders and both runners came in to score for the win.
CALL IT A CAREER
Aside from Sarah Pauly, no other pitcher in Islanders history has been as dominant as Carter over the last four years. The Austin native ranks second in wins (47), appearances (132), starts (111), complete games (87), innings pitched (749.1), strikeouts (544) and shutouts (17).
Carter has two no-hitters in her career, shutting down Prairie View in 2016 before starting the 2017 season with a no-hitter against Texas Tech. She ranks in the top-10 in single-game, single-season and career records more than 20 times. Carter has also been a force at the plate with 54 RBI and six home runs in her career.
Griebel is a career .281 hitter with 21 RBI and has appeared in 187 career games, missing just 10 outings in her four years on the Island.
Griebel, a constant selection for the top of the Islanders order, set the school record for fewest strikeouts in a season in 2016 with six and ranks eighth in school history. Her 10 game hitting streak earlier this season tied for the 10th longest in school history.
Carter finished the 2017 season with the most strikeouts in the Southland Conference and the team lead in every pitching category, as well as team-best 15 RBI at the plate. Griebel completed her first .300-plus batting average season with a .323 clip at the plate and eight RBI, including a career-high three yesterday.
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- Go Islanders -
