Canales shines as Jags sweep Texas College

The UHV softball team has seen its bats come alive over the last week.

A shakeup to the lineup at the Gulf Coast Invitational provided some offensive momentum then and continued this week.

Jasmine Canales showcased that to help the Jaguars sweep Texas College, 12-3 and 9-1 – both in five innings – in Red River Athletic Conference play Saturday at the Victoria Youth Sports Complex.

The junior catcher went 5-for-6 with seven RBIs, including a three-run, inside-the-park home run in Game 2.

"It was kind of a mix up for us at first, but we got the hang of things," Canales said. "We see it's working. Now we're just doing it for each other and trying to keep it going."

Since the change, Canales has hit in five straight games and has delivered an RBI in each of the six games with the new-look lineup. She's gone 7-for-21 with 11 RBIs over the last six games.

She picked up three hits in Game 1 on Saturday, finishing a home run shy of the cycle. Her two-run double sparked a 10-run first inning for UHV (16-12, 8-2) in the first game.

Seven different Jaguars got a hit against the Steers (0-12, 0-12) in Game 1, including Claire Blinka, who extended her hitting streak to 21 games after going 4-for-5 with two triples and two RBIs on Saturday.

Blinka, Canales and Kenzie Chambers combined to go 6-for-9 with six RBIs from the top of the lineup in Game 2. Each had two hits apiece.

"I'm super happy and I'm super excited," head coach Lindsey Ortiz said of the new-look lineup. "Sometimes you just have to stick a little bit of dynamite in and see what happens. I think they've responded to that change and it's fun to watch them have their confidence and swag back."

Audrie Sayas notched her seventh win of the season in the circle while Jocelyne Galvan improved to 3-0.

Sayas tossed three innings, surrendering just one run on two hits. She turned the ball over to Alexi Wade for an inning before Hope Quinones closed the game out with a perfect fifth inning.

Galvan hurled four shutout innings, allowing just three hits and one walk. Keira Reis also threw an inning of relief, allowing one run on two hits with a strikeout.

For Galvan, a native of Aransas Pass, it was her first win in a start with the previous two coming in relief.

"I think it was just my hunger coming in and wanting to get the win," Galvan said. "I wanted to back up my team and knew they had my back. I just went out there with no nerves, calm and just threw the ball like I know how to and just let the defense work behind me."

The Jaguars now begin a month-long road trip with a trek to Hobbs, New Mexico, to face University of the Southwest in conference play on Friday.