(RV) Jags erupt late to pick up split vs. Ottawa (KS)

The UHV softball team kept knocking on the door and had to be patient on Monday.

Eventually, the Jaguars kicked the door off the hinges with a six-run sixth inning to take Game 2 of a doubleheader vs. Ottawa (KS), 6-1, and secure a split. UHV fell 2-1 in Game 1

The Jaguars had managed just one hit in the previous five innings before erupting for six hits in the bottom of the inning. All of the Jaguars' runs came with two outs in the sixth. UHV (6-7) snapped a five-game schneid with the Game 2 victory.

"I'm super proud of them," said head coach Lindsey Ortiz. "They scored all those runs with two outs. So, I don't ever want them to count themselves out of any situation. That's big time when you can step up and do that. Hitting is contagious and they understand that, and I'm just proud of the way they fed off each other."

The sixth-inning barrage started with a pinch-hit, RBI single by VeJeigh Zamora with the bases loaded. Alyssa Carter drove in the eventual winning run the next batter with an RBI single. Kenzie Chambers did the same one batter later before Jordan Jones delivered the knockout blow with a two-run single scored Carter and Fayth Hoover, coupled with an error on the same play to score Chambers and put UHV up 6-1.

Jones' clutch hit came after she saw her six-game hitting streak end in Game 1 and put her at 10 RBIs this season. The senior from The Woodlands native said the team maintained its confidence heading into the sixth inning.

"Everybody else was hitting so amazing, I just wanted to keep it going," Jones said. "Also, our pitchers were doing so well, so we wanted to help them out and get us on the board. We just really wanted to win it there."

The Jaguars saw herculean pitching efforts from starters Audrie Sayas (Game 1) and Keira Reis (Game 2), and Hope Quinones who came on in relief in Game 2 and picked up the win.

Sayas suffered the loss despite striking out a season-high eight batters and allowing just two runs across seven innings in Game 1.

"I'm thrilled with her performance," Ortiz said. "She was just dealing. She was hitting her spots. I feel like she controlled the momentum of the game, so that's big time out of her."

Reis threw four strong innings in her first collegiate start. The Van Vleck native picked up her first three career strikeouts.

She said she wasn't nervous, but excited to get the ball for her first start when she found out moments before Game 2.

"I'm just really happy because our pitchers have been doing so well," Reis said. "I'm glad I get to be a part of it and improve for myself and my team."

Quinones tied her career-high with five strikeouts over three shutout innings in Game 2 to earn her fourth win of the season. The San Antonio native struck out the side in the sixth inning, eventually leading to UHV's offensive outburst.

"Keira and Hope as a combination in Game 2 were both standouts as well," Ortiz said. "They did exactly what we asked, hit their spots and attacked the hitters. I'm super proud of the pitching adjustment from Saturday to today. That can be a tough turnaround with no time to work on anything, but we felt it was mostly mental on Saturday. So for them to come out here and show out the way they did, I'm super proud."

Jasmine Canales finished the doubleheader 3-for-6 with a run scored. Claire Blinka extended her hitting streak to six games with hits in each of the two games.

The Jaguars are on the road Tuesday to face Concordia University-Texas in Austin in a 3 p.m. doubleheader. The games were moved up a day due to inclement weather forecasted for Wednesday.