CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Prior to their series-opening doubleheader against Northwestern State on Saturday at Chapman Field, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi softball coach
Kathleen Rodriguez glowingly talked of Vikings and desire and commitment. It's obvious she expected to see a certain mindset from her team after they were embarrassed by UIW a week ago.
She got what she hoped.
The Islanders (16-10 overall, 4-4 in the Southland Conference) came out with renewed purpose, winning Game 1 6-2 behind senior standouts
Primrose Aholelei and
Kimane Rogron, then rallied from a 5-0 first-inning deficit in Game 2 before the Demons pulled away late to split the doubleheader 7-4.
"I'm proud of our effort today," Rodriguez said. "Prim threw the ball well, and our approach for every at-bat was well-focused. We adjusted sometimes pitch-to-pitch, which I was also proud of. There are so many things we don't have control over in life, that if we can just recognize what we can control, life really becomes easier."
The Demons (14-19, 2-6) made nothing easy for the Islanders, and it started immediately. NSU loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the first inning, but Aholelei limited the damage to a single run on a sacrifice fly.
The Islanders then tied it up in the bottom of the first without the benefit of a hit. A&M-Corpus Christi took advantage of two walks, two errors and three fielder's choices to tie the game without a ball leaving the infield.
It stayed that way until the fifth, when
Alina Jasso and
Sidney Campion led off with back-to-back singles, then
Sydney Hoyt drew a one-out, pinch-hit walk to load the bases. After a fly out, Rogron stepped up and laced a double to right-center, clearing the bases and giving her a team-leading 17 RBIs on the season.
Crystal Davila then placed a pinch-hit single over the first baseman's head to drive in Rogron, giving her 11 RBIs in just 16 games this season.
"The whole team contributed all day long," Rodriguez said. "Whether it was things they saw from their hitters or pitchers, they shared their knowledge beautifully. They were loud, and the energy was strong. Kiki (Rogron) did well on both sides of the ball, which was nice to see and good for her moving forward."
With a 5-1 lead, Aholelei took care of the rest.
A week after getting battered by UIW in San Antonio to the tune of 13 earned runs and just four strikeouts in 7.2 innings over the three games, the A&M-Corpus Christi ace was more like her usual self Saturday. She surpassed her strikeout total from last weekend in the fifth inning, then secured her 10
th win and 10
th complete game two innings later by escaping a one-out, bases-loaded jam with just one run of damage.
"It was definitely important for me to have a successful outing after last weekend," Aholelei said after improving to 10-5 and increasing her SLC-leading strikeout total to 120. "I had to work my way out of trouble a few times, but it felt great to come through. I wouldn't say I had something to prove, but I always want to perform at my best for my team. Tomorrow's game is gonna be exciting and challenging, but the mindset is to stay focused and give it my all through any adversity."
Barring some unforeseen natural disaster or realigning of the planets, Aholelei will get the ball again Sunday as the Islanders try to take the series. The rubber match was made necessary after the Demons jumped on a pair of A&M-Corpus Christi pitchers for five runs in the first inning of Game 2.
Malia Williams got the start, but her throwing motion was ruled to be illegal, resulting in strike calls being changed to balls. After a four-pitch walk to the leadoff hitter, Williams was removed and replaced by
Ariella Saenz. The Demons treated Saenz rather rudely, smacking five straight hits – six total – scoring five times and batting around to take a seemingly insurmountable 5-0 lead.
"Malia was being called for moving her back foot," Rodriguez said. "We tried to make the adjustment during that first inning, but she was uncomfortable. I didn't want to chance hurting her shoulder on adjusting something that she hasn't had to do all year long."
One thing the Islanders have done all year long, however, is fight back. And they did again Saturday.
Siarah Galvan replaced Saenz in the second inning, and she was spectacular, retiring 13 out of 15 batters at one point. She allowed just three hits and two runs, all coming in the sixth inning.
Galvan's steady hand put the Islanders in position to dig out of their early hole, which they nearly did in the fourth inning.
Campion and
Taniece Tyson led off with singles, then
Sydney Hoyt – seeing her most extensive action of the year after dealing with injuries all season – drove in both with a double before getting thrown out at third.
Rogron,
Mimi Thornton and
Felixia Hinojosa all followed by reaching base, and Davila drove in two more with a slap double down the left-field line. And just like that, the Islanders tailed just 5-4. A&M-Corpus Christi had chances to maintain the rally by getting runners on base in each of the next three innings, but the Demons held on for their second conference win of the season.
"Fighting out of a five-run deficit is a tough thing at this level. I'm proud of our effort for sure," Rodriguez said. "We made a few baserunning mistakes that we just can't have at this level. But NSU is well-coached, and their athletes are strong and resilient. Tomorrow we go back to work. NSU is going to want to jump ahead early, so we just need to play clean defense, execute at the plate and we will be OK."
TAMUCC (16-10, 4-4 SLC)
Saturday, March 23 – vs. Northwestern State, W (6-2)
Saturday, March 23 – vs. Northwestern State, L (7-4)
Sunday, March 24 – vs. Northwestern State (14-19, 2-6), Noon, Chapman Field
On Deck: Following the series with NSU, the Islanders will travel to Houston for a three-game conference series against Houston Christian. Games 1 and 2 will be at 4 and 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 28, and the finale will by at noon Friday, March 29.
Next Home Games: The Islanders begin a three-game SLC series against Southeastern, La, on Friday, April 5. The teams play a doubleheader at noon and 2 p.m., then play the finale at noon Saturday, April 6.
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