ARLINGTON, Texas – Momma said there would be days like this.
An encouraging start to the 5
th Boerner Invitational for the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi softball team devolved into a soggy, depressing, shocking pair of losses to host University of Texas at Arlington, 13-5 in five innings of a game delayed twice by rain, then 10-0 in five innings in the nightcap.
The Islanders had four runs and seven hits after just three innings to start the day, but they collected just one run and two hits the rest of the day, spanning seven innings.
"Tough day at the office," A&M-Corpus Christi coach
Kathleen Rodriguez said. "Two rain delays and it was pouring on us the inning it got away from us in that first one. Then two key early errors set the tone for the second game."
The Islanders (10-5) led 4-0 in the fourth inning of Game 1, but after the second of two rain delays, the Islanders never led again the rest of the night. But it all started so promising.
Crystal Davila continued her hot streak, coming about an inch shy of a three-run home run in the top of the first inning of Game 1. Instead, she settled for a two-run double off the top of the wall in left, staking the Islanders to an early 2-0 lead.
Davila, who was playing in just her fourth game this season because of injury, was coming off a 2-for-3 game with a double and an RBI Sunday against Georgetown in her first start of the season.
Then with two outs in the bottom of the second inning and a 3-2 count on UTA's Kaylee Cavazos, the skies opened up, forcing a 66-minute weather delay.
Once play resumed, A&M-Corpus Christi appeared to get some breathing room in the top of the third inning.
After
Kimane Rogron led off with a single,
Taniece Tyson turned on a pitch and sent it halfway to Plano. The mammoth blast gave the Islanders a 4-0 lead, which appeared to be plenty for Islanders ace
Primrose Aholelei.
But in the top of the fourth, the teams had to sit through another rain delay (this time for 28 minutes). And when they returned, things were drastically different.
The Mavericks (5-12) touched Aholelei (6-3) for five runs on four hits and three walks, but even then, it didn't seem to matter much. That's because in the top of the fifth, Rogron nearly hit one out, driving the centerfielder to the wall in the deepest part of the ballpark.
Tyson did her one better, hitting one in the exact same direction but over the wall and off the scoreboard. Her second laser of the game – and fifth of the season – tied the game at 5 and restored a sense of normalcy for the Islanders.
Unfortunately, the tie didn't last long, as UTA's Lindsey Franklin blasted a first-pitch homer to left in the bottom of the fifth, then two batters later, Jessica Adams hit a two-run homer to right. That spelled the end of Aholelei's night but not the Islanders' troubles.
Ariella Saenz relieved Aholelei – who allowed a career-high eight earned runs on seven hits and three walks – but the Mavericks weren't fazed. UTA scored five times against Saenz and eight times total in the fifth inning, triggering the run-rule and ending the game.
UTA collected all 12 of its hits and all 13 of its runs in the fourth and fifth innings. And the Mavericks didn't stop after a short break before Game 2.
The Mavericks scored two unearned runs in the bottom of the first inning and three more unearned runs in the second for a quick 5-0 lead. UTA then added two in the third on a two-run double that nearly cleared the fence, which ended the night for Williams. Freshman
Kendra Winfrey relieved Williams with two outs and a runner on second and was able to get out of the inning.
But the Mavericks kept circling the bases, scoring three runs on five hits in the bottom of the fourth to get to 10-0. The Islanders went meekly in the top of the fifth on two strikeouts and a groundout, bringing an end to Game 2 thanks to another run-rule.
After going hitless and scoreless through the first three innings, the Mavericks came out of the second rain delay a new team, collecting 23 runs and 21 hits over the final seven innings of the doubleheader.
"On defense, we need to be better at making the routine, ROUTINE," Rodriguez emphasized after her team committed three errors in the two games. "On offense, we need to be better at adjusting from one at-bat to the next, doing whatever it takes to put the bat on the ball. We will do better tomorrow."
Fortunately, the Islanders don't have long to mull over such a brutal day. They continue the Invitational at 11:30 a.m. today against UTSA. A second game against Grambling will follow at 7 p.m.
TAMUCC (10-3, 0-0 SLC)
Feb. 29-March 2 – at 5th Boerner Invitational (Arlington, Texas)
Feb. 29 – vs. UT-Arlington, L (13-5, 5 inn.) | vs. UT-Arlington L (10-0, 5 inn.)
March 1 – vs. UTSA (4-12), 11:30 a.m. | vs. Grambling (7-5), 7 p.m.
March 2 – vs. UTSA (4-12), 2 p.m.
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 single 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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