CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS – The Texas A&M-Corpus Christi softball team used a four-run bottom of the sixth inning to defeat visiting University of the Incarnate Word, 5-1 on Friday in Southland Conference action at Chapman Field.

The Islanders (18-26-1, 13-11) took the initial lead in the game when Cosette Hernandez led off the bottom of the first inning with a single.  She advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on Mickayla Cochran's ground out.

The Cardinals (12-37, 4-21) tied the game in the top of the fourth inning.  Liz Carter retired the first nine UIW players she faced, but then Taylor Johnson (Schertz/Clemens HS) led off the inning with a single and went to second on a walk to Monique Miller (Hewitt/Midway HS).  After a sacrifice bunt, sophomore pitcher Kristin Hebert (Humble/Atascocita HS) tied the game with a single to score Johnson, but that was all the team was able to manage in the inning.

In the top of the sixth inning it looked like the Cardinals were going to take the lead.  Johnson led off with her second hit of the game and they would load the bases with one out.  Carter was able to bear down and got out of the jam with a strikeout, the only one of the game, and a pop up.

The bottom of the sixth inning began innocuously with a ground out, walk and fly out.  Three straight singles, an error and a double put four runs on the board and give the Islanders all they needed for the win in the first game of a three-game series.  Carter improved to 13-16 on the year after tossing a complete game while allowing six hits, one run and two walks.  Hebert fell to 5-18 after allowing 10 hits, four earned runs and two walks.

The sixth, seventh and eighth hitters did the damage for the Islanders as Carter, Hayley Galloway and Lindsey Lyles combined to go 7-for-8 with two runs and three RBI's.  Johnson and Natali Duron (Pasadena/Memorial HS) each had two hits for the Cardinals.

The teams will meet on Saturday for a doubleheader at noon to close out the season for the Cardinals.
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