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KINGSVILLE, Texas – SWOSU Softball bounced back from a one-run defeat to Texas A&M-Kingsville by defeating Texas A&M-International 7-6 on the opening night of the Emerald Beach Hotel Softball Invitational. The Bulldogs (2-5) will play once on Friday, facing Texas A&M-Commerce at 10:30 am tomorrow morning.
 
Texas A&M-Kingsville 6, SWOSU 5
Box Score
 
SWOSU found themselves in a 5-0 hole after four innings, but scored in each of the final three innings before the game ended with the tying run on first base as the Dawgs fell by one run against the home Javelinas. Kingsville turned two leadoff walks in the second inning into four runs on three hits, taking the early lead which was pushed to 5-0 with an RBI single in the fourth.
 
The Bulldogs responded with three runs on three hits in the top of the fifth, getting RBI doubles from Tori Hawk and Ashley Jones along with an infield hit from Miranda McDonald that scored Hawk from third. SWOSU got within one run at 5-4 when Taya Haney scored an unearned run on a wild pitch, but Kingsville got an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth, which proved to be crucial.
 
With two outs in the seventh, Alex Wilson started a rally with a single into left field and she moved up to second on a wild pitched. Jones came through with another RBI hit, this time a single up the middle that scored Wilson and got the Dawgs back within one run. Bonna Molina was brought in to pinch hit with two down, but she was struck out looking to end the game.
 
Taylor Eaves (0-3) took the loss after being run from the game in the second inning after allowing four earned runs on just one hit. Taya Haney allowed eight hits, but just two runs over the final five innings.
 
SWOSU 7, Texas A&M-International 6
Box Score
 
Texas A&M-International scored the first two runs, but SWOSU plated all seven of their runs in the first three innings, giving them enough cushion to hold off a late flurry from the Dustdevils. Trailing 2-0 in the bottom of the first, SWOSU's first two runners of the inning walked, allowing Alex Wilson to give SWOSU the lead on a three-run shot over the left field fence.
 
Tori Hawk and Abigail Schade had back-to-back RBI hits in the second inning as SWOSU pushed their lead to 5-2, then a solo home run from Ashley Jones and an RBI single from Kenedi Jackson upped the advantage to 7-2 after three complete.
 
Kaley Reding (1-0) got the victory for SWOSU, allowing nine hits and five runs before Taylor Eaves came in to close the door and get her first save of the season after allowing two hits and one run in the seventh.