AUSTIN, Texas – The University of the Incarnate Word softball team dropped a pair of games on day two of the Texas Classic on Saturday, 6-1 to Colorado State and 7-1 against Wisconsin.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Game 1: Colorado State 6, UIW 1
CSU (3-0) scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the third to break a scoreless tie. The Rams took advantage of a Cardinal throwing error for the first run, and Amber Nelson tripled home the team's second run.

UIW (0-3) cut the deficit in half in the top of the fourth, as Victoria Bratcher's single to right-center brought home Bailey Thomas. But CSU answered with a run of its own in the bottom half of the frame and proceeded to add on with single runs in the bottom of the fifth and sixth.

Bratcher's hit was the Cardinals' only in the game, as Alison Petty and Larisa Petakoff combined for four strikeouts. For the second-straight game, Sarah Leal had little run support, as she allowed five earned runs with issued four walks in the complete game effort. One bright spot for UIW was that it held last season's Second Team All-Conference and NFCA All-Region selection, Hannah McCorkhill hitless in the two games against the Cardinals (0-for-4). Madison Kilcrease went 2-for-2 and Ashley Michelina went 2-for-3 to lead the Rams.

Game 2: Wisconsin 7, UIW 1
A participant of last season's NCAA Tournament, Wisconsin (2-2), came into the game against the Cardinals on a huge momentum high, as the Badgers scored a run in the top of the seventh in the 4 p.m. game against Texas to force extra innings, then scored four runs in the top of the eighth for the win. Wisconsin kept the momentum going, scoring twice in the top of the first on a two-run single from Stephanie Lombardo.

Hope Sobolewski cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the frame, as her fielder's choice allowed Victoria Bratcher to score unearned for UIW (0-4).

The Badgers added another run in the top of the third and another in the fourth and fifth, before putting the dagger in with a two-run top of the seventh.

Breanna Hernandez took the loss in the circle, as she allowed four earned runs with a pair of strikeouts in 3.1 innings. Jessica Rodriguez struck out three, while giving up three runs, in the final 3.2. Bratcher, continuing her strong start at the plate, had the only multi-hit game for the Cardinals, going 2-for-3.

Five Badgers had two-hit games. Haley Hestekin earned the win in the circle, as she gave up the unearned run and only two hits in 5.0 innings.

UP NEXT

UIW concludes the Texas Classic with a rematch with the host Longhorns on Sunday at 12:30 p.m.

STAY TUNED

The Cardinals take a week off before heading to Waco for the three-day Baylor Invitational Friday-Sunday, Feb. 23-25. UIW's first opponent will be a non-conference tilt against fellow Southland Conference member, Abilene Christian, on Feb. 23 at 12:30 p.m.

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