ANGELO STATE 4-4, INCARNATE WORD 1-3

 

The new kids on the block are making some noise in the softball race in the Lone Star Conference South Division.

 

Incarnate Word, playing its first year in the Lone Star dropped a doubleheader Saturday but it wasn't easy for Angelo State, the nation's number one team in Division II. After dropping the series opener on Friday by 5-1, the Rambelles won Saturday's first tilt by 4-1 and then had to get a game-winner in the bottom of the seventh of game two for the sweep of the day.

 

Angelo State is now 25-2 for the year including 5-1 in the league while Incarnate Word drops to 16-11 and 3-3. This is the second consecutive weekend UIW has faced ranked teams. A week ago number six West Texas A&M came to San Antonio and the Cardinals took two of three.

 

And to top it off, the games were on the Rambelles home field. In the nightcap the Cardinals were on after scoring twice in the second inning when Kim Hanson scored on an infield error before Lea Padilla drove home another with an infield out. Then in the third Monica Acuna went yard for the fourth time this season to make it 3-1.

 

Whitney Waltrip was sailing along before giving up a single run in the fourth. With the lead at 3-2 the Cardinals turned to ace Briana Sanchez to finish it off. Coming on in the sixth she pitched out of trouble before the fateful last frame. With two out and two on ASU catcher Kacie Easley doubled to center field and the winners came home.

 

In game one the Cardinals sent ace Sanchez to the circle in hopes she could duplicate her efforts from the day before when she had checked the Rambelles allowing but two hits in a 5-1 victory. For three innings she was on her game before ASU struck for three runs in the bottom of the fourth. Angelo State sent the three home on a two-out, bases loaded single combined with an infield error on the same play.

 

UIW came back in the top of the fifth with a single tally when Lea Padilla singled to center field scoring pinch runner Jordan Mattison. That would be it for the Cardinals as Angelo State scored one more in the sixth to ice the contest.

 

Game one was but the second loss of the year for Sanchez who worked six innings allowing six hits while walking two and striking out seven. Other than this loss to the nation's number one team, she dropped a game in February when she worked 13 innings only to lose 4-3 to Emporia State.

 

GAME ONE

 

UIW       0 0 0 0 1 0 0 -- 1 7 1

ASU       0 0 0 3 0 1 X -- 4 6 1

 

Briana Sanchez and Kaylen Skinner. Clarissa Molina and Kacie Easley. WP—Molina. LP—Sanchez (12-2).

 

GAME TWO

UIW       0 2 1 0 0 0 0 -- 3 10 1

ASU       1 0 0 1 0 0 2 -- 4 10 1

 

Whitney Waltrip, Briana Sanchez (6) and Kaylen Skinner. Mary Kate McKay, Jessica Newsome (2), Clarissa Molina (7) and Kacie Easley. WP—Molina (13-2). LP—Sanchez (12-3). HR—UIW, Monica Acuna (4).

 

RECORDS:

 

Incarnate Word                                16-11 (3-3)

Angelo State                      25-2 (5-1)