SAN ANTONIO, Texas – The Texas A&M-Corpus Christi softball team battled throughout a midweek road test Tuesday evening, trimming an early deficit and continuing to apply pressure before ultimately falling 12-5 to UTSA at Roadrunner Field.
The Islanders (5-17) tallied five runs on five hits and capitalized on three defensive miscues, scoring in five different innings to keep within striking distance.
Karisa Lopez sparked the offense with a triple, two runs scored and a stolen base, while
Mimi Thornton drove in two runs.
Zoey Stewart and
Skylar Heger each added a hit, and
Brooke Jones crossed the plate twice as A&M-Corpus Christi consistently found ways to manufacture offense.
UTSA struck for five runs in the bottom of the first, and despite the Islanders' best efforts to cut into that throughout the rest of the game, the Roadrunners bookended the game with another five runs in the sixth to ensure the final result.
In the second, Heger led off with a single down the left field line and moved into scoring position after a walk to
Erynne Castillo. Lopez's ground ball pushed a runner to third, and
Kayla Santiago reached on an error that allowed Heger to score the Islanders' first run. Santiago advanced on a wild pitch before the inning ended, cutting the deficit to 5-1.
A&M-Corpus Christi chipped away again in the third. Jones reached on an error to open the frame and moved up on a fielder's choice and wild pitch. Thornton lifted a sacrifice fly to left center, bringing Jones home to make it 5-2.
After UTSA added a solo run in the fourth, the Islanders answered immediately. Lopez lined a triple down the right field line and Santiago followed with an RBI single to left, trimming the margin to 6-3.
The Islanders continued their steady push in the fifth. Jones reached on another error and moved into scoring position before Thornton delivered a single up the middle to score her, cutting it to 6-4. Pinch runner
Mackenzie Durr advanced to third on a wild pitch, but the rally stalled there.
In the sixth, Castillo worked a leadoff walk and Lopez reached on a fielder's choice. With two outs and runners moving, Lopez broke for home and stole it cleanly, sliding in to pull the Islanders within 7-5 and inject energy into the dugout.
The Roadrunners answered with a five-run sixth to create separation.
Whitehead provided three steady innings of relief in the circle, allowing just one run while striking out three to keep the Islanders within reach during the middle frames.
The Islanders will rematch UTSA in their home opener next Wednesday at Chapman Field, but not before they open the conference slate this weekend at UIW Friday and Saturday.
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