WICHITA FALLS, Texas -- Katelyn Vinson and Kim Jerrick launched homers and combined to drive in nine runs in Midwestern State's 16-5 shelling of Texas A&M-Kingsville in the series finale Sunday afternoon at Mustangs Park.
 
The victory extended MSU's season-best winning streak to nine games as the first-place Mustangs extended its lead over Angelo State to two games in the Lone Star Conference race by improving to 23-9 on the season and 10-1 in league play.
 
Midwestern State hits the road for a crucial four-game set with the Rambelles next weekend in San Angelo. The teams play a pair of games Friday at 5 and 7:30 p.m. before closing the series with a doubleheader Saturday at 1 and 3 p.m.
 
The Mustangs rocked A&M-Kingsville with four runs in the first, five in the fourth and seven more in the sixth claim their seventh run-rule win over the season.
 
Freshman first baseman Krisha Hamm got Midwestern started with a two-run single through the left-side to highlight a four-run first.
 
Then Vinson connected four her fourth homer of the season to cap the five-run fourth frame as the Mustangs re-established a 9-4 leader after the Javelinas got to MSU starter Katlyn Holmes with two runs in the second and third frames.
 
Holmes yielded three consecutive one-out singles in the fourth inning before giving way to Kat Batey, who doused the threat with consecutive strikeouts.
 
Batey settled in to allow an unearned run on three hits in 2 2/3 innings with four strikeouts and a walk to move to 5-3 on the season.
 
Midwestern put the game away by sending eight players to the plate in the sixth inning as Vinson, Hamm and Baylee Voigt recorded RBI singles before Jerrick's 11th homer of the season over the left-field fence ended it. It was Jerrick's third collegiate grand slam and 51st career homer.
 
Junior shortstop Katy Vandewater extended her hitting streak to nine games by going 3-for-4 with a double and two RBIs. She is hitting .500 (15-for-30) during her current hot stretch with three homers and 15 RBIs.
 
Vinson advanced her season-best hitting streak to seven games. She is hitting .550 with two doubles, a triple and two homers during the stretch while driving in 10 runs.
 
Voigt is riding a six-game hitting streak and has collected hits in 12 of her last 13 games.
 
Texas A&M-Kingsville dropped to 7-24 on the season and to 2-11 in LSC play.