CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – The Texas A&M–Corpus Christi softball team broke open a scoreless game with a seven-run fifth inning and rode a dominant outing in the circle to defeat UTSA 7–0 in the Islanders' home opener Wednesday night at Chapman Field.
The Islanders managed just four hits but showed patience at the plate, drawing 10 walks and capitalizing on a pivotal fifth-inning rally to provide more than enough support for pitcher
Josie Whitehead. Whitehead was sharp throughout, tossing a complete-game two-hit shutout with five strikeouts while allowing just one walk.
The game remained a pitcher's duel early as neither side generated much offense through the first four innings. UTSA threatened briefly with a pair of singles, but Whitehead worked out of trouble and the Islanders' defense kept the Roadrunners off the scoreboard.
A&M–Corpus Christi finally broke through in the bottom of the fifth.
Zoey Stewart started the rally by reaching base, and a series of walks loaded the bases to put immediate pressure on UTSA.
Mimi Thornton brought home the game's first run with an RBI opportunity that gave the Islanders a 1–0 lead.
The inning quickly snowballed from there.
Skylar Heger followed with a run-scoring walk that pushed the lead to 2–0, and the Islanders continued to work patient at-bats to keep the line moving with additional RBI contributions from
Kayla Santiago and
Erynne Castillo.
Karisa Lopez delivered the biggest swing of the night, lining a bases-clearing triple that sent a wave of runners across the plate and surged to a 7–0 advantage.
With the lead in hand, Whitehead remained in control the rest of the way with the help of her defense behind her. After a pitch went array to put a runner on, Castillo spread out for the diving over the shoulder catch in center and getting it out quick enough for the tag out at second for the double play and end the sixth. Whitehead then retired the final three batters in the seventh to secure the win.
Lopez led the Islanders offensively with three RBIs, while Heger added a key run-scoring double. Thornton, Santiago and Castillo each drove in a run during the decisive fifth inning. Stewart,
Jada Zepeda and
Taylor Reyes helped spark the offense by reaching base as part of the Islanders' 10-walk effort.
Whitehead notched her second win of the season with the complete-game shutout, limiting UTSA to two hits while striking out five over seven innings.
On deck:
Friday, March 13
3 p.m. – East Texas A&M at A&M-Corpus Christi (Game 1)
5 p.m. - East Texas A&M at A&M-Corpus Christi (Game 2)
Saturday, March 14
12 p.m. – East Texas A&M at A&M-Corpus Christi (Game 3)
#ShakasUp
