KINGSVILLE, TEX.— A common denominator existed among the Black Hills State University softball team's first four opponents of the 2016 season. All four teams had games under their belt prior to the Emerald Beach Hotel Softball Invitational, held on February 12-14 in Kingsville, Texas.
Texas A&M-Kingsville and St. Edwards University were first on BHSU's docket. The Yellow Jackets knew they had to use their fresh arms, legs and bats as an advantage over experience in the young 2016 season.
Alex Wiley did just that for the Yellow Jackets against Texas A&M-Kingsville, allowing two earned runs in six innings of work. However, a Javalina walk-off two-RBI double doomed BHSU in a 3-2 loss. The Yellow Jackets failed to rebound from that heart-breaking result in a 8-3 defeat to St. Edwards University.
The Yellow Jackets open the 2016 season with a 0-2, 0-0 RMAC record.
Texas A&M-Kingsville 3, Yellow Jackets 2
Wiley posted a zero in her first collegiate inning after striking out the first batter she faced. The Yellow Jackets found themselves down 1-0 in the second inning after Ariana Munoz walked, advanced to second on a fielder's choice, and touched home plate on a throwing error.
The Yellow Jacket defense allowed two base runners throughout the third, fourth and fifth inning before they found magic of their own. Stefanie Witman led off the sixth inning with a single before Claire Fergusson pinch ran for her.
Wiley proved to be a triple threat for the Yellow Jackets when she knocked home Fergusson with an RBI-double to tie the game 1-1. That provoked Texas A&M-Kingsville to swap Karri Smith for Sarah Gilbert on the pitching rubber.
Katie Campo's single put Wiley in position to score from third base on a fielder's choice to give BHSU a 2-1 lead.
The Yellow Jackets failed to retire a Javalina batter in the seventh frame, and it haunted them. Hailey Boyett and Lindsey Angelico each reached base to lead off the seventh inning. Victoria Schoonard-Saborio prevailed with a walk-off two RBI double to give Texas A&M-Kingsville a 3-2 win.
Seven different Yellow Jackets registered a hit in the game.
St. Edwards 8, Yellow Jackets 3
Wiley wasted no time making an impact on the Yellow Jackets offense. She led off the first inning with a double. Campo followed that with a walk to put runners on first and second for Everson, who knocked home Wiley on a single to give BHSU a 1-0 lead.
Campo touched home plate on a wild pitch later in the inning to widen the margin to 2-0.
Campo made the score 3-0 in the third inning when she doubled, and scored off back-to-back groundouts from Pamela Sakuma and Everson.
St. Edwards stormed back with a four-run fourth inning. All four Hilltopper runs came with two outs, which made the score 4-3.
The Hilltoppers capitalized on BHSU errors in the fifth and sixth innings with a run each to widen their lead to 6-3. The seventh inning saw St. Edwards put the nail in the coffin.
Megan Hoffman and Shelby Janda each collected a seventh-inning RBI to help the Hilltoppers secure an 8-3 victory over BHSU.
Wiley and Everson each had two hits to pace the BHSU offense.
The Yellow Jackets will return to action tomorrow, February 13 at the Emerald Beach Hotel Invitational against Texas A&M-Kingsville at 2:30 p.m., and Texas A&M-Commerce at 5:00 p.m.
