GULFPORT, MISSISSIPPI – The University of Incarnate Word softball team ended the Mississippi Gulf Coast Classic with a 10-2 loss against Southern Mississippi on Sunday morning.
           
Southern Miss (10-8) jumped out to the early lead in the bottom of the first inning after Tori Dew hit an RBI double to center field to give the Golden Eagles a 1-0 lead. However, the Cardinals (6-11) would answer in the top of the second inning when Natali Duron (Pasadena/Pasadena Memorial HS) singled up the middle to score Shelbi Swenson (Elgin/Elgin HS) to tie the ballgame at 1-1.

The Golden Eagles responded in the third inning with RBI singles by Jillian Johnson and Arielle Pollock to take a 3-1 lead. Southern Miss would go on to score two more runs in the fourth and the fifth innings and UIW would add a run in the top of the fifth when Victoria Bratcher (Colleyville/Colleyville Heritage HS) singled to left field to score Kellen Robles (San Antonio/Smithson Valley HS). The Golden Eagles finished the scoring in the sixth inning with three more runs highlighted by a two-run double by Samantha Reynolds.

Bridget Stein (Brenham/Brenham HS) made her sixth start of the season for the Cardinals in the pitching circle. She went 3.2 innings and gave up five runs on 11 hits and two walks.  Sarah Leal (Kyle/Hays HS) replaced Stein in the fourth inning with two outs and she went 1.1 innings while giving up four earned runs on four hits. Danielle Block picked up the victory for the Golden Eagles and she went 5.0 innings giving up two runs on five hits.

Bratcher and Duron led the Cardinals at the plate as both players had one hit and an RBI.  As a team, the Cardinals totaled just five hits and they left two runners on base. The Golden Eagles had 17 hits on the day while also picking up four walks.  

The Cardinals will return to action on Saturday against the University of Houston as the team will go on a three game road trip.
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