CHATTANOOGA, Ten. – Fresh off a home-opening three-game sweep of Stephen F. Austin, the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi softball team will look to continue its impressive start to the season with a grueling road trip to the Frost Classic on the campus of the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga.
The Islanders (6-2) will play five games in three days against five different teams. A&M-Corpus Christi will begin Friday with games against Valparaiso (2-7) at 9 a.m. and host UT-Chattanooga (7-4) at 2 p.m., followed by games Saturday against Ohio University (6-4) at 9 a.m. and University of Tennessee-Martin (4-5) at 11:30 a.m. The Islanders then will finish the round-robin format at 9 a.m. Sunday against Georgetown (6-4).
"Five games in three days versus five different teams is a lot, but we have leaned heavily on our strength and conditioning throughout the year with Coach Mac (strength and conditioning coach Ryan McNerlin)," A&M-Corpus Christi coach
Kathleen Rodriguez said. "He has helped to put us in the best position from a strength and conditioning standpoint to make sure we are prepared for those long preseason weekends."
The Islanders will be playing all five schools for the first time.
"Five games in three days will be a challenge for us, but I do believe our team is definitely ready for it," A&M-Corpus Christi pitcher
Primrose Aholelei said. "My approach to tourneys like this is to just be mentally tough, focus on the present, control whatever I can control and just to have fun."
The Islanders have had plenty of fun so far, racing out to the third best start in school history.
A&M-Corpus Christi has won games in myriad ways, pummeling the ball through the first few games of the season, leaning on a stifling pitching staff a few games later, then depending on unwavering defense, unshakeable grit and unfaltering moxie during the season's first homestand.
"I am proud of our efforts as a team so far," Rodriguez said. "They are working well together, have showed resiliency as well as determination and fight throughout the preseason so far."
Senior outfielder
Alina Jasso has gotten off to a blistering start, hitting a team-high .417 and leading the team in runs (8), walks (5) and doubles (4). She's also one of seven Islanders with an on-base percentage of .400 or better, leading the team at .517. Freshman outfielders
Isabella Hune also has continued to be a revelation, hitting .393 with a team-best 11 hits and even swiping a couple bases.
The Islanders also have shown they can bash a little as well. Left-handed hitting junior first baseman Montee Montilla is slugging .643 with 11 hits, eight runs and one mammoth home run last Friday that still may be travelling down Saratoga St. Senior
Taniece Tyson has been pure terror from the right side, slugging .550 while pulverizing nearly every ball she hits.
As a team, A&M-Corpus Christi has hit 20 doubles, which is tied for fifth in the country, while the average of 2.5 doubles per game is fourth-best nation-wide. Eight different Islanders are hitting .300 or better, with another hitting .296. And the one hitting .296 – senior third baseman
Kimane Rogron – is tied for the team lead in RBIs at six with junior second baseman
Paolina Baez.
The Islanders are hitting a blistering .326 as a team – which places them 44
th in the country out of 278 teams – while holding their opponents to a .234 average.
"I'm very impressed with my team so far," Aholelei said. "Though our record could've been better, 6-2 is still great. It wasn't something I envisioned when our season started. But it is definitely a sweet one to begin the season with. Our two losses have made us even better and stronger as a team, so we will be ready for this weekend."
Aholelei leads a pitching staff that has posted a 1.86 ERA this season, which is good for 43
rd place in the country.
Aholelei, as expected, has been the headliner. She's fourth in the country with 40 strikeouts, and her rate of 9.5 strikeouts per seven innings is 27
th in the country. But she hasn't been alone.
Diminutive sophomore transfer
Malia Williams has made four appearances, all in relief, striking out 13 in nine innings with a team-best 1.56 ERA. Her rate of 10.1 strikeouts per seven innings actually is better than Aholelei's, placing her 14
th in the country.
With so many games upcoming in such a short time, the Islanders will get a chance to experiment with a staff that's only allowed three extra-base hits all season (all doubles).
"The preseason is a chance for our pitching staff to be put in different starting, middle relief as well as saving roles," Rodriguez said. "All the experience our pitching staff will encounter throughout the preseason will serve us well going into conference. They all throw and specialize in different techniques and speeds. The experience gained throughout the preseason will serve us well."
While the Islanders can be happy with their progress so far, they know it could be better. Their first loss came to River City Classic host Jackson State after leading 7-0 in the seventh inning and 7-2 with two outs during the first weekend of the season. It's that loss that has been the catalyst to the Islanders' early success.
"I believe we let one get away from us in Mississippi," Rodriguez said. "That one hurt, and we made sure the team reflected on that in a way that doesn't allow that feeling of 'letting one slip out of our hands' to go away. We need to remember how much that one hurt, never letting our heels touch the ground until the last out is made again. I believe every game is a learning experience that will aid in making you the most well-rounded and strong-minded player possible.
"They work so hard and are all so unbelievably talented in all they do. They love each other and want one another to succeed which is beautiful to watch."
TAMUCC (6-2, 0-0 SLC)
Feb. 23-25 – at Frost Classic (Chattanooga, Tenn.)
Feb. 23 – vs. Valparaiso (2-7) - 9 a.m. CT | vs. UT-Chattanooga (7-4) - 2 p.m. CT
Feb. 24 – vs. Ohio (6-4) - 9 a.m. CT | vs. UT-Martin (4-5) – 11:30 a.m. CT
Feb. 25 – vs. Georgetown (6-4) - 9 a.m. CT
Up Next: Following the Frost Classic, the Islanders will face another grueling test with five more games in three days at the 5
th Boerner Invitational in Arlington. A&M-Corpus Christi will only face three teams this time, however, with a doubleheader against host UT-Arlington on Thursday, Feb. 29, followed by two games on Friday, March 1 against UTSA and Grambling. The Islanders play UTSA again on Saturday, March 2 before heading back home.
Next Home Game: The Islanders begin a three-game series against Texas A&M-Commerce to start Southland Conference play on Friday, March 8 at Chapman Field. The teams will play a doubleheader beginning at noon Friday followed by a singled game beginning at noon Saturday, March 9.
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Islanders Softball) and follow the program on Twitter (
@IslandersSball) and Instagram (
islanderssball).
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