Islanders Come Back to Defeat HBU in Walk-Off Fashion

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Sophomore Ashleigh Sgambelluri delivered a two-out walk-off hit in a come-from-behind 4-3 victory for the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi softball program over Houston Baptist in eight innings Friday at Cabaniss Field.
 
The Islanders (18-25, 8-11 SLC) trailed the Huskies (19-13, 12-10 SLC) by three runs in the sixth inning when they started to rally. Two-out RBI hits by freshman Gabriella Torres and junior Kennedy Jimenez cut the deficit to 3-2.
 
In the seventh, freshman Haley Morse led-off with a double over the left fielder's head and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt. Morse scored on an RBI groundout by sophomore Beatriz Lara to the shortstop who was playing deep, which tied the game 3-3.
 
The eighth inning got-going with a one out walk by sophomore MacKenzie Purcell. After a groundout moved her to second, Purcell scored the game-winning run on a flare up the middle by Sgambelluri.

🔵🟢🔵 VICTORY !!!! 🟢🔵🟢

ISLANDERS WIN ON A WALK-OFF HIT BY A. SGAMBELLURI IN THE EIGHTH INNING !!!!#ShakasUp🤙🥎 pic.twitter.com/wlKuSZBQzO

— Islanders Softball (@IslandersSball) April 30, 2021

 
Lara threw all eight innings for a complete-game win and improved to 13-9 on the season. She struck out five batters and threw 129 pitches.
 
Freshman Alexandria Torres turned in a career day with her first-ever three-hit outing. She was three-for-four with a run scored.
 
Also with multi-hit games were Morse and Jimenez. Morse extended her reached base safely streak to 17 consecutive games.
 
With a single to right field in the second inning, sophomore Pal Egan is now on an eight-game hitting-streak. A&M-Corpus Christi out-hit HBU 11-5.
 
For the Huskies, Jessica Patak got the start and was cruising through five innings until trouble started brewing in the sixth. She allowed two runs in 5.2 innings. Lyndie Swanson entered in relief, blew the save and took her first loss of the year as her record dropped to 8-1.
 
HBU's only runs came on a three-run homer by Jasie Roberts in the sixth to put the team up 3-0.
 
The Islanders improved to 23-14 all-time against HBU and 14-8 at home, although the game was not played at Chapman Field due to the heavy rain and field conditions.
 
The game was delayed an hour Friday due to weather. There will be no game Saturday, but the two teams will play a doubleheader beginning at 12 p.m. Sunday at Cabaniss Field. The Islanders will honor Jimenez, Daisy Gonzalez, Katrina Jackson and Skye Koehl in a special Senior Day ceremony.
 
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For more information on Islanders Softball, keep up with the team via their Facebook page (Islanders Softball) and follow the program on Twitter (@IslandersSball) and Instagram (islanderssball). 
 
#ShakasUp