Softball Speeds Past Roadrunners in Home Opening 8-2 Victory

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - Opening its home slate with a rematch against UTSA, the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi softball posted a dominated fourth inning to top the Roadrunners once more this season in an 8-2 decision on Tuesday at Chapman Field.

Despite the Islanders (8-6) jumping out to 1-0 after the first, UTSA (3-14) plated two runs in the top of the third to reverse the lead 2-1. Though, those would be the only runs driven in for the Roadrunners as the Islanders kept them scoreless the rest of the way. A&M-Corpus Christi ran away in the fourth, posting a six-run inning to go up 7-2 before another Islander crossed home in the fifth to make it the final 8-2 score.

At the plate, A&M-Corpus Christi slugged past UTSA for a team-total of 13 hits while the Roadrunners would only get three on the day. Three Islanders turned in a multi-hit day, with senior Alexandria Torres notching a trio after going 3-for-3 at the plate. She scored a run and also drove one in.

Freshman Crystal Davila and junior Sydney Hoyt each registered a pair of hits and at least two RBI's. Hoyt led the way with four runs batted in and even ran home herself once.

In the circle, junior Primrose Aholelei threw the complete-game, her fifth already of the season. She struck out seven batters and only gave up three hits through seven innings of work. She has now pitched for 55.1 total innings this season, the most in the Southland Conference, and turns in a 2.40 ERA.

UTSA's lead-off reached base off a single to right field to open the game. Another Roadrunner got on base two get two into scoring position, but were both left stranded as Aholelei retired the third out.

A&M-Corpus Christi also had its lead-off reach base, as junior Juliana J. Garcia reached on an error and then advanced to third on the throw. Hoyt then reached on a fielders choice to drive Garcia in for the 1-0 lead through one.

The teams were kept quiet in the second but UTSA struck in the third to get on the board for the 2-1 lead. The Islanders didn't answer until the bottom of the fourth where the whole lineup had an at-bat to blow the game up. 

The Islanders hit four singles in a row to drive in both Riley Todd and Alina Jasso before getting their first out of the inning. With runners on second and third, Hoyt singled up middle to drive both in before making it to third herself on the bunt by junior Kimane Rogron. With two outs and runners in scoring position, Davila doubled down the left field line to plate two more runs for A&M-Corpus Christi, making it a 7-2 game. It was her second career double as an Islander.
 

Aholelei faced three in the fifth and retired them all. Freshman Juliana A. Garcia recorded her first career hit with an infield single to start the next frame and singles by Hoyt and Torres drove her for the 8-2 score.

UTSA headed to the top of the seventh in a last-chance effort to come back, but Aholelei struck out the first two batters before allowing her infield to get the final out as the Islanders closed out the three up, three down seventh for the victory.

It was the second win over the Roadrunners this year for the Islanders, after beating them 6-4 earlier in San Antonio. UTSA continues to lead the all-time record 35-26, though, A&M-Corpus Christi has won nine of the last 10 meetings.

Improving to 8-6 on the year, the Islanders have not possessed a losing record yet.

The Islanders will head to Arkansas this weekend next for their final nonconference tournament of the 2023 season. The Woo Pig Classic will feature three days of competition with the Islanders opening it up on Friday at 10 a.m. against Iowa State.

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