ABILENE, Texas – For just the second time in program history, the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi softball team opened its season 2-0 and did so in dominant fashion on day one of the Wildcat Invitational after shutting out Murray State 1-0 in the morning and then earning a mercy-rule victory over Abilene Christian 11-3 Friday night at Poly Wells Field.
It marks the best start to a season for the Islanders (2-0) since the 2005 season when they topped both Wichita State and Texas Tech on opening day. The 1-0 win over Murray State (0-2) marked the seventh time ever that the Islanders won their season-opener since the program began in 2000, and third to have been a shutout.
Junior
Primrose Aholelei made her first career start as an Islander and shined in the circle after throwing the complete-game shutout. Through seven innings, Ahoelei struck out 10 off 25 batters faced and only gave up one late hit. Sophomore
Siarah Galvan started game two and got credited the win after not giving up an earned run through three innings of work. Junior
Sydney Hoyt came in as relief for her first appearance in the circle since 2020, striking out three in the process.
Eight different Islanders got a hit on the day, but junior
Kimane Rogron exploded for four hits, two doubles, two runs and two RBIs between the games. Also recording a pair of hits on the day were juniors
Sidney Campion,
Taniece Tyson, and
Juliana J. Garcia. Senior
Gabriella Torres' lone hit was a three-run home run against the Wildcats.
GAME ONE – A&M-Corpus Christi 1, Murray State 0
In the first ever meeting between the two, the Islanders shut down Murray State who is coming off its first ever NCAA appearance last season.
Aholelei started with a quick three up, three down performance in the top of the first before Garcia singled as the lead-off hitter for the Islanders to start the day. Aholelei struck out the side in the second inning after giving up a walk, and she would retire the next 12 batters.
Meanwhile, another hit didn't come from the Islanders until the bottom of the fifth after Rogron singled and then stole second to get herself into scoring position. Sophomore
Paolina Baez advanced her further with the sacrifice bunt before Hoyt entered the lineup and drove in Rogron with the hit through the left side.
The Racers loaded the bases in the top of the seventh, but Aholelei struck out the batter for the final out and complete-game shutout as the Islanders won it 1-0.
GAME TWO – A&M-Corpus Christi 11, Abilene Christian 3 (6 innings)
The Islanders scored a trio of runs in the first three innings against the Wildcats for a quicker start than game one of the day. Garcia and Hoyt reached base in the opening inning before Torres went deep for the three-run homer and 3-0 lead.
Campion hit a two-run RBI in the second and advanced to second on the throw to score Garcia and junior
Alina Jasso for a 5-0 lead. Tyson followed her up with a double to right field to drive Campion home for A&M-Corpus Christ's sixth run of the day.
Doubles by Rogron, Campion and senior
Quinn De Avila in the third inning helped tack on three more runs on the scoreboard for the Islanders who led 9-0 before ACU got its first two runs in the next frame. The Wildcats scored their final run in the bottom of the fourth.
The final two runs for the Islanders both came in the top of the sixth after Rogron doubled to left center for Torres and freshman
Mimi Thornton to run home. The 11-3 score would qualify for the run-rule as A&M-Corpus Christi ended on top after six innings.
It was A&M-Corpus Christi's first win over ACU since 2018 and just third in Abilene.
Day two of the Wildcat Invitational will start with another 10 a.m. pitch against Murray State for the Islanders. A&M-Corpus Christi will close out the day at 7 p.m. against UTEP. Head coach
Kathleen Rodriguez coached for the Miners for 10 seasons where she started the program and still holds the program record for total wins and wins in a season.
Stay Social
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
