Jags sweep Southwest to open conference play

Clutch hits aren't hard to find for the UHV softball team.

In fact, it's sort of been the Jaguars calling card with the team hitting around .300 en route to a 5-1 record heading into Friday's Red River Athletic Conference-opening doubleheader against University of the Southwest.

Junior utility player Jayce Bolin proved that to be true once again with a two-out, walk-off single, scoring Allison Snedeker, to win Game 1 2-1 and power UHV to a sweep of the Mustangs to kick off conference play. The Jaguars (7-1, 2-0) won Game 2 via the run rule, 10-0, in five innings.

"My mindset was, everyone in front of me did their jobs and I didn't want to let them down," Bolin said. "We all wanted to win. So it was my turn to do my job at that point."

Claire Blinka started the rally in Game 1 with a leadoff double before Jordan Jones entered to run for the Port Lavaca native. A sacrifice bunt by Alana Ortega got Jones to third base before Snedeker scored her with an RBI double to tie the game.

Blinka went 3-for-6 in the series Friday, driving in a pair of runs in Game 2 and extending her team-leading hitting streak to 10 games.

Kaylle Lopez was 3-for-3 with three RBIs and a pair of triples in the Game 2 win.

Eight different Jaguars recorded hits as the team scattered 13 hits against the Mustangs (5-5, 0-2) in the run-rule win in Game 2.

"I'm super proud. That's what I want them to continue to do," said head coach Lindsey Ortiz. "I don't want to rely solely on the top. I want to be able to do it all the way through our lineup. I think we got a nice mixture of extra base hits with some small ball. We were able to kind of run the bases. We're a dynamic offense when we do what we're supposed to do."

The Jaguars used strong pitching to sweep Southwest.

Senior Cameron Cowan took a no-hitter into the sixth inning of Game 1 before allowing just three hits and the Mustangs' only run. She moved to 5-0 in the circle with win.

Sophomore Anyssia Mendoza earned her first win of the year by pitching a one-hit gem, striking out four across five innings in her second start this year.

"I think (Mendoza) is hungry," Ortiz said. "We ended last year on a great note with her in the conference tournament. She came back and wanted more from there. It's been a joy to watch her grow from there."

Mendoza pitched strong in her last outing against St. Thomas (TX) allowing only two earned runs with five strikeouts, but still couldn't get the winning decision in a 5-4 loss.

She took the confidence she picked up from that game into Friday and delivered again for UHV.

"It feels good," Mendoza said. "I've been working toward this for a long time. I'm just excited now I've been able to execute all of my pitches and throw them at different locations."