Big Third Inning Propels Softball to the Series Win over Northwestern State

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - After splitting the first two games of the series, the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi softball team took on Northwestern State in a rubber match on Saturday at Chapman Field and came away with the 5-1 win to clinch the conference series.

All of the runs of the day by both teams were scored in the third inning. The Demons (24-15, 6-3) scored their only run of the game in the top of the third on a sacrifice fly-out to right field before the Islanders (14-22, 2-4) ran away with the game in the next half-inning.

Off four hits, A&M-Corpus Christi scored five runs in the bottom of the third to take charge of the game. Leading off the inning was junior Quinn De Avila who singled through the left side on the second ball pitched to her. Junior Pal Egan followed De Avila up with a hit of her own and then a passed ball put the runners at second and third with no outs.

Junior Madison Garza got the third straight hit for the Islanders to score De Avila and be accredited with her third RBI of the season. Egan advanced to third on the hit and Garza stole base to put herself at second. Junior Ashleigh Sgambelluri was the next batter up but struck out to keep the runners where they were.

Four balls in a row walked sophomore Sydney Hoyt to load the bases with one down. Sophomore Kimane Rogron reached base on an error by the Demons but got the RBI to score Egan and give the Islanders the 2-1 lead. A ground-out by sophomore Gabriella Torres then scored Garza and advanced the runners with two down, taking the game to 3-1.

The fourth hit of the inning came from the senior two-way player, Grace Gilbert, who singled to right center for the two RBI, scoring both Hoyt and Rogron for the 5-1 lead.

Northwestern State tried answering in the top of the sixth when they loaded the bases with no outs, but freshman pitcher Denay Smith and the Islanders defense shut them down. A double-play at home and first got the first two outs, followed by a routine ground-out to escape the inning and go on to win the game and series.

Smith pitched a complete game, her fourth of the season, and only allowed the one run. She improved her record to 4-6, giving her the team-high of four wins this season. Smith now submits a 4.76 ERA.

De Avila and Egan both went 2-3 at the plate today, with De Avila getting her second hit of the game in the fourth while Egan got the sixth and final hit for the Islanders in the sixth. This marked Egan's 14th multi-hit game. Hoyt stayed disciplined and got walked three times, continuing to lead the conference in walks at 31 after the day.

Egan remains in contention for breaking multiple program single-season records this year. Her batting average (.419), slugging percentage (.686) and on-base percentage (.551) all top the current record-holders.

Next up for the Islanders will be a doubleheader against Prairie View A&M on Tuesday before heading to HBU next weekend for another conference series. A&M-Corpus Christi previously swept Prairie View this season in a doubleheader at home, including an eight-run comeback in the first game for the walk-off 12-11 win. 

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