Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 HOUSTON – A week after taking over the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi softball team's lead in RBIs,
Kimane Rogron decided to give herself a little cushion.
In the first game of a three-game Southland Conference series against Houston Christian on Thursday at Husky Field, the senior third baseman from France finished a triple shy of the cycle, drove in a career-high four runs and led a 14-hit barrage as TAMU-CC won 7-0. Rogron then added another hit in the nightcap as HCU won 3-0.
Rogron wasted little time getting her big day started.
After
Alina Jasso led off the game with a walk,
Monee Montilla and
Paolina Baez both singled with two outs to load the bases. Rogron then lined a double to right-center, clearing the bases and giving the Islanders a quick 3-0 lead.
In the top of the fourth inning, Rogron led off and again wasted no time. On the first pitch she saw, she drilled a shot to the deepest part of the field in center field for a resounding solo home run and a 4-0 lead. It was her first home run of the year and the fourth of her career, and she increased her team-leading RBI total to 21.
"My goal was to focus on having quality at-bats and scoring my teammates, and I'm very happy that I did," Rogron said. "The home run felt amazing. I didn't know that it was gone until I reached second – haha – but I'm just so happy."
The Islanders (18-11 overall, 6-5 in the Southland Conference) put the game on ice in the seventh inning with three more runs on six hits. Jasso again led off the inning with a single, and again Montilla and Baez both singled with two outs to load the bases, with Montilla collecting an RBI this time. Rogron then singled instead of doubled and didn't drive anybody in, but it didn't matter as
Crystal Davila and
Sydney Hoyt followed with run-scoring singles of their own, giving the Islanders a commanding 7-0 lead.
Primrose Aholelei then closed it out in style, throwing out the leadoff hitter on a bunt attempt, then striking out the final two hitters to preserve the shutout. Aholelei (12-5) allowed just two hits, three walks and struck out nine. The nation's third-leading strikeout artist now has 135 of the year. She also added her 12
th complete game and fifth shutout of the season, which is tied for seventh-best in the country.
The 4-5-6-7 hitters in the Islanders' lineup (Montilla, Baez, Rogron, Davila) combined to go 9-for-16 with six RBIs and five runs scored. Eight of the nine starters had a hit, as
Sidney Campion,
Taniece Tyson,
Precious Aholelei and Jasso all had singles.
"We hit behind the ball well that first game," A&M-Corpus Christi coach
Kathleen Rodriguez said. "(Getting) 14 hits was huge for us. Kiki (Rogron) put the ball in play beautifully, and Prim threw well today. She was extremely efficient and made things difficult for them every at-bat. The girls played really strong defense as well. I was proud of the all-around effort that first game."
The Islanders picked up their first true road victory of the season. They had been 0-8 on opposing team's home fields, though they are 9-1 away from home on neutral fields.
In the nightcap, the Islanders fell behind 3-0 after the Huskies (15-14, 2-6) collected three doubles and a single off
Siarah Galvan in the fourth inning. Before the fateful fourth, Galvan had retired 10 straight after the first two batters of the game had reached.
Galvan took the hard-luck loss, giving up three runs on eight hits with no walks and six strikeouts. Four of those hits and all three runs came in the decisive fourth inning.
After watching TAMU-CC collect 14 hits and seven runs in Game 1, HCU's Ronni Grofman shut down the Islanders on five hits, two walks and six strikeouts in Game 2.
"Siarah threw the ball well tonight," Rodriguez said. "She put us in a position to win the game. We missed the timely hitting in that one, stranding eight in that game. But you have to tip your hat to Grofman. She threw well tonight."
The rubber match will be played at noon Friday at Husky Field.
TAMUCC (18-11, 6-5 SLC)
Thursday, March 28 – vs. Houston Christian, W (7-0)
Thursday, March 28 – vs. Houston Christian, L (3-0)
Friday, March 29 – vs. Houston Christian (15-14, 2-6), Noon, Husky Field, Houston
On Deck: Following the series with HCU, the Islanders will play Southeastern, La., in a three-game series at Chapman Field. Games 1 and 2 will be played at noon and 2:30 p.m. on Friday, April 5, and the series finale will be played at noon on Saturday, April 6.
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@IslandersSball) and Instagram (
islanderssball).
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