Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 EL PASO, TEXAS – The University of the Incarnate Word played a pair of games on Saturday at the UTEP Tournament at the Helen of Troy Softball Complex.  They lost to New Mexico State, 11-2 and UTEP, 6-5 in eight innings.

One bad inning doomed the Cardinals (8-5) in their matchup with the Aggies of New Mexico State.  UIW took a 2-0 lead in the second inning thanks to a double by Shelby Waltrip (Orangevale, CA/Casa Robles HS) and two errors by the Aggies.  The lead held until the bottom of the fourth inning.

In the fourth, the Aggies exploded for 11 runs on 11 hits including five doubles and a home run by Susie Chandler.  The Cardinals used three pitchers in the inning and the Aggies had 10 consecutive players reach base at one point.

Makayla McAdams picked up the win for NMSU going 5.0 innings and striking out two while allowing one hit and two unearned runs.  Kristin Hebert took the loss for the Cardinals after allowing six runs in 3.1 innings.

In the second game, it appeared that the Cardinals might pick up their first win against a Division I opponent this year, but could not hold off the Miners in extra innings.

With the score tied 4-4 heading into the eighth inning, the game went to the international tie-breaker rule where a runner is placed at second base to start the inning.  The Cardinals were able to push across the go-ahead run when freshman Alex Alonzo singled in Anna-Marie Moore (Aloha, OR/Aloha HS) with two outs.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, the Miners scored right away on a bunt single and error.  They later loaded the bases with one out and scored the winning run on a sacrifice fly by Samantha Alvillar.

The Cardinals had built up a 4-1 lead thanks to the hitting of Kandace Patek.  She cracked a three-run homer in the second inning and then she drove in another run in the fourth inning with a single up the middle.

The Miners tied the game in the bottom of the fifth inning.  Three of the first four batters in the inning reached base via error and all three eventually came around to score.  They tied the game at 4-4 on a double by Colleen Hohman.

The Cardinals finished the game with nine hits.  Mikaela Flores and Patek each had two hits while Alonzo had a hit and walked three times.  Flores also picked up a no-decision in the circle tossing 4.1 innings allowing seven hits and one earned run.

The Miners finished the game with 12 hits and had four players with two hits apiece.  Danielle Pearson picked up the win after tossing 6.0 innings in relief.  She allowed six hits, one earned run and five walks while striking out two.

The Cardinals are back in action with two more games.  They will play New Mexico State and UTEP each one more time on Sunday.
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