Softball 3/8/2013 5:10:00 PM

Dustdevils Use Long Ball to Power over Newman

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

LAREDO (March 8, 2013) – TAMIU belted six home runs including a two-run walk off shot by freshman Chelsea Capello in the bottom of the seventh of game two, to gain an opening day sweep over Newman University on the first day of conference play.

Cassandra DeLeon went 3-for-3 at the plate with a pair of three run homers to help TAMIU take game one 11-3 via the mercy rule. Kyndall Reaves also added a three run shot in only her second at bat of the season.

In the late game Kristen LaBuhn and Cassie Garcia each hit solo home runs, before Capello delivered the game winning two-run bomb with two outs in the bottom of the seventh to give TAMIU a 7-5 win.

“This was a great way to start conference play,” said Head Coach Scott Libby. “Kyndall and Salina both threw very well and I was happy to see our power show up. I also felt like we had outstanding defense in 11 of 12 innings.”

TAMIU combined for 23 hits on the day, while Dustdevil starting pitchers Kyndall Reaves and Salina Mitchell allowed only nine. Reaves, the game one starter, went five innings allowing three runs on five hits with two strikeouts and no walks. Mitchell went the full seven innings in game two, giving up five runs on four hits with six strikeouts and one walk.

The Dustdevils came out guns blazing in game one, scoring seven runs in the first inning. Mariena Gallardo plated TAMIU’s first run with a sac-fly, before Deleon hit her first of two-three run homers to make it a 4-0 game. After a walk and a single, Reaves delivered the second three-run shot of the inning to give TAMIU a 7-0 lead.

TAMIU scored three unearned runs in the second, following a costly error by Newman first baseman Kelsey Jones. A throw by pitcher Molly Hein over to first on a routine ground ball by Garcia pulled Jones off the bag and allowed the inning to continue. Deleon then made the Jets pay ripping her second three-run home run of the game to give TAMIU a dominant 10-0 lead.

Katie Traffas registered the first hit of the game off Reaves in the third with a solo homer to center field, but TAMIU quickly answered in the bottom half on an RBI double from Rochelle Nash who finished 2-for-3 at the plate in the opener.

Briana Hallacy and Traffas hit back-to-back solo homeruns in the fifth to cut the deficit to 11-3, but Reaves induced a final groundout from Jones to end the game.

Three costly Newman errors, including one in the bottom of the seventh, allowed TAMIU to take game two.

TAMIU picked up right where they left off in game one, getting solo homeruns from LaBuhn and Garcia in the first two innings of game two. Labuhn also added an RBI single in the second to spot the Dustdevils a 3-0 lead.

Taylor Schawe hit a solo home run in the top of the fourth to cut the lead to 3-1, but TAMIU took advantage of a Newman miscue to add two in the bottom half.

Capello led off the inning with a double and came around to score on a throwing error by center fielder Lacey Kowan, trying to get Capello at third after a single by Desiree Ramos. Olivia Garcia then pushed another unearned run across, scoring pinch runner Desiree Ortíz on a bunt single.

Erin Monday hit a solo homer in the fifth, and then added a two-RBI single in the sixth following two TAMIU errors to tie the game at 5.

After retiring Newman in order in the top of the seventh, one final error in the bottom half proved to be the difference in the game. With one away Deleon looked be thrown out at first on a routine ground ball, but a high throw forced Jones off the bag. After a ground out, Capello stepped in and blasted the game winning home run down the left field line.

Capello finished the day with seven total hits and five runs scored. Marisa Castillo, Labuhn and Garcia each recorded two hits in game two.

The pair of wins lifts TAMIU’s conference record to 2-0 on the season and 12-16 overall. The Dustdevils and Jets will meet for the series finale Saturday at 12 p.m. at Dustdevil Field. Sunday TAMIU will host no. 12 Texas Woman’s University in a doubleheader which will get underway at 11 a.m.

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