BEAUMONT, TEXAS – The University of the Incarnate Word softball team dropped a pair of games at the Lamar Classic on Friday at the LU Softball Complex.

In the first game, the Cardinals took on the host Lamar and were dealt an 8-3 loss.  LU jumped out to an early lead with a run in the bottom of the first inning and then three more in the bottom of the third inning.  They blew the game wide open in the bottom of the fourth inning when they put four runners across.  The big hit was a two-run single by Sarah Ragsdale.

Incarnate Word scored a pair of unearned runs in the top of the fifth inning to prevent from being run-ruled.  Alex Alonzo (San Antonio/Smithson Valley HS) came through with a two-out, two-run single that scored Kellen Robles (San Antonio/Smithson Valley HS) and Danielle Ramirez (San Antonio/Marshall HS).  UIW threatened in the sixth inning when they put runners on second and third with one out, but could not score.  They tacked on another unearned run in the seventh when Brigitte Gauvin (Winnipeg, B.C./College Louis-Riel) drove in Ramirez with a two-out double.

Sarah Leal (Kyle/Hays HS) pitched well for the Cardinals giving them 3.0 hitless and scoreless innings of the relief to close it out.  Bridget Stein (Brenham/Brenham HS) was tagged with the loss after allowing six hits, four runs and three walks in 3.0 innings.  Laura Napoli earned the win for Lamar with 4.0 shutout innings allowing just one hit and two walks while striking out two.  Julie Voluntad pitched the final three innings and picked up the save.

Ragsdale led the Lamar offense with three hits and three runs batted in.  They managed eight hits and drew six walks overall.  UIW tallied six hits, each to different players.  Ramirez reached base four times and scored twice to lead the Cardinals offense.

The Cardinals dropped the second game of the tournament to Texas Southern in a low scoring contest. UIW struggled early on offensive collecting two hits in the first three innings. Texas Southern scored all three of their runs in the bottom of the fourth inning on two RBI singles by Destiny Chavarria and Krystalani Yockman while also scoring a run on an RBI double by Chanler Powell to make the score 3-0.
           
For the game, the Cardinals totaled five hits, which were all singles. Leading the team offensively was Robles who went 2-for-3 at the plate.  Darianne Hale (Mesquite/Bishop Lynch HS) got the start in the pitching circle for the Cardinals and she allowed three earned runs on six hits in 3.2 innings of work.  Leal replaced Hale in the fourth inning and completed the game for UIW going 2.1 innings and only allowing two hits.
           
The Cardinals will return to action tomorrow with two more games.  They play at 2:30 p.m. against Northern Colorado followed by the final game starting at 7:00 p.m. against Alcorn State.
####
pr16102smm