DENVER, Colo. | Texas A & M University-Kingsville hit two fifth-inning home runs and held on for a 3-1 win over Young Harris College Friday (May 24) afternoon in the second round of the NCAA Division II Softball National Championship being played at Metropolitan State University of Denver's Regency Athletic Complex.

The Javelinas, who are the No. 4 seed and ranked third nationally, improved to 50-8 and they will advance to Saturday's (May 25) 4 p.m. Mountain time winner's bracket game, while the No. 8 seed Mountain Lions fell to 43-19 and will now play No. 7 seed West Chester University, which eliminated No. 6 seed University of California, San Diego 7-6, in a 1:30 p.m. Mountain time elimination game Saturday (May 25).

The first two runs of the game came in the form of solo homers in the fifth inning from the Javelinas. Kingsville took a 3-0 lead in the top of the seventh with a sacrifice fly to center field from Roxy Chapa. 

Haylie Shope put the Mountain Lions on the board with a solo shot to right center, her team-leading 10th of the year. 

Saidi Castillo (26-4) picked up the win for the Javelinas as she threw a complete game allowing one run on three hits with 11 strikeouts. 

Nikkie Kovalsky (29-12) earned the loss for Young Harris as she gave up two runs on four hits with three walks and two strikeouts in five innings pitched. 

Shope had one hit and a RBI, while Torres and Michalyn Bingham each tallied a hit.