CORPUS CHRISTI – The Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders scored early in both games on Friday evening to take the doubleheader via scores of 4-0 and 7-1 over the East Texas A&M University softball team at Chapman Field.
 
GAME 1: A&M-CORPUS CHRISTI 4, EAST TEXAS A&M 0
Jada Zepada singled to the pitcher in the bottom of the first and came around to score on an RBI single down the left field line by Skylar Heger.
 
The Islanders added to their lead in the third with a sacrifice fly by Heger to plate Zoey Stewart, while Kayla Santiago collected an RBI on a base hit, driving in Zepeda. A sacrifice fly by Taylor Reyes to bring home Santiago was the fourth run of the game scored by the Islanders in the sixth.
 
Emma Rodrigues (Little Elm – John Paul II) went 2 for 2 in the game for the Lions, while Madison Kloepper (Llano) got the loss in the circle, being charged with four earned in the complete-game outing.
 
For the Islanders, Kendra Winfrey struck out seven in the complete-game shutout win.
 
GAME 2: A&M-CORPUS CHRISTI 7, EAST TEXAS A&M 1
Santiago plated Stewart in the bottom of the first with a single to left, while Karisa Lopez hit an RBI single to right, driving in Mimi Thornton as the Islanders scored two in the first.
 
In the third, Reyes hit a three-run double to left center as Lopez, Brooke Jones, and Santiago came around to score. Heger added a two-run double to right center in the fifth, plating Thornton and Stewart.
 
The lone run of the day for the Lions came in the seventh. KK Cosek (Helendale, Calif.) doubled to left with an out in the inning and came around to score on a fielder's choice by Isabella Arzola (Chino, Calif.), who was tagged out on the play at second.
 
Cozek and Tatum Wright (Frisco – Centennial) went 2 for 3 each in the game, while Aaliyah Wilcox (Covington, Ga.) came in to pinch hit and singled as well.
 
The loss in the circle was charged to Maddie Muller (Frisco – Memorial), who allowed four earned runs in 2.1 innings. Josie Whitehead did not allow an earned run in the complete-game win.
 
The Lions fall to 0-5 in Southland Conference play and 5-24 overall, while the Islanders are 2-3 against Southland opponents and 8-20 overall.
 
UP NEXT
The series finale between the Lions and the Islanders is scheduled for noon on Saturday.