Jaguars run winning streak to four with sweep of Schreiner

SAN ANTONIO – The Texas A&M University–San Antonio softball continued its victorious ways Wednesday as the Jaguars swept a doubleheader from Schreiner.

The Jaguars took game one by a score of 9-4 before shutting out the visiting Mountaineers 2-0 in game two. The two wins were the third and fourth consecutive triumphs for the Jaguars (13-15), who have won six of their last seven contests.

Peyton Vasquez (Porter, Texas / Cisco College) claimed a bit of history in game one when she stole six bases during the seven-inning contest, becoming only the fifth player in NAIA history with at least six steals in a game. She also moved into the NAIA's Top Ten in stolen bases this season.

The wins over the Mountaineers (5-19) were the first victories for the Jaguars in six games against teams from the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference. Schreiner is also the first team A&M–San Antonio has defeated four consecutive times, which includes a doubleheader sweep for the Jaguars in Kerrville last season.

The Jaguars return to action Saturday when they visit the University of the Southwest (N.M.) for a Red River Athletic Conference doubleheader. First pitch in game one is scheduled for 11 a.m. Mountain Daylight Time.

GAME ONE: Jaguars 9, Schreiner 4
The Jaguars scored in every inning of game one and took an early 5-0 lead as they cruised to the win.

Julia Pinzon (San Antonio, Texas / Madison HS) went 2-for-2 with two RBIs and three runs scored the lead the Jaguars at the plate. Her RBI single in the bottom of the third ended up being the game-winner.

Vasquez had plenty of opportunities to wreak havoc on the basepaths as she drew walks in her first three at-bats. She scored four runs in the game, which included a steal of home as part of a double-steal with Pinzon in the second inning.

What Vasquez had fewer opportunities for was keeping her program-record hitting streak intact, but she did that, too, with a single in the sixth inning. Her infield single in game two stretched her hitting streak to 13 games.

Jaclynn Lizama (Temple, Texas / Holy Trinity Catholic HS) picked up her third win in the pitcher's circle this season as she tossed five and two-thirds innings, while scattering seven hits. The Mountaineers were unable to do significant damage until the sixth inning when Marisa Hernandez knocked a three-run home run to center field, but that only cut the Jaguar lead to 8-4.

The Jaguars showed patience at the plate as they drew a total of 13 walks from Schreiner pitching. Madeline Arellano (Georgetown, Texas / Ranger College) also drew three walks in the game, while Pinzon and Vanessa Garces (Edinburg, Texas / Coastal Bend College) walked twice in the game. Garces, Arellano, and Karina Guzman each picked up RBIs in the game.

GAME TWO: Jaguars 2, Schreiner 0
Ebbie Rodriguez (Helotes, Texas / Angelina College) pitched her second complete-game shutout of the season to give the Jaguars the series sweep.

Rodriguez scattered five hits over seven innings while striking out five batters and issuing only one walk to improve to 5-3 for the season. She has all three A&M–San Antonio shutouts in program history.

After the Jaguars' high-scoring game in the opener, fans were treated to a solid pitching duel as Rodriguez and Schreiner's Kaylee Culpepper matched scoreless frames for the first four and a half innings. The Jaguars broke the tie in the bottom of the fifth inning when Pinzon hit a solo home run over the centerfield fence; it was her third home run of the season.

Sidney Garza (San Antonio, Texas / Ranger College) provided the Jaguars' other RBI an inning later when she singled home pinch-runner Riana Tovar (Helotes, Texas / Lamar State–Port Arthur).