Idaho State Box Score
Saint Mary's Box Score

DAVIS, Calif. – The UTEP softball team (3-10) defeated Saint Mary's, 7-2, and fell to Idaho State, 3-1, Friday afternoon. Kacey Duffield went yard on a 3-3 performance with three RBIs in the win and Julia Wright threw a complete-game victory with five K's.
 
After falling behind 2-0 in the bottom of the first inning to Saint Mary's, the UTEP offense got a spark when Duffield connected on a bomb to get a run on the board in the top second. The Miners crossed the dish three times during the second frame to take the go-ahead 3-2 lead and halting a seven-game losing skid.
 
Game One
The Bengals tacked on three runs in the first two innings to take an early lead, 3-0.
 
Ariana Valles and Ariel Blair both got on base with hits and stole their ways to second base in the second and third inning, respectively, but were unable to be brought in.
 
The Miners' were held in check until starting hurler Kira McKechnie gave herself some run support with a dinger into deep center field, cutting into the Bengals' lead, 3-1, in the bottom of the fourth inning.
 
UTEP threatened in the bottom of the sixth inning when Cortney Smith singled to left field, and then Kacey Duffield extended her reached-base streak to 12 games with a walk. The two base runners would advance to second and third base after a sacrifice bunt from McKechnie with one out. However, the Orange and Blue failed to bring them across the dish.
 
In the bottom of the seventh frame, Ilena Santos kept the Miners alive with two outs with a base hit into left. However, that was all the action that would take place.
 
McKechnie threw all seven innings for the Miners and fanned six batters. The senior also scored the lone run for UTEP on her solo shot, the first long ball of the season during the fourth inning.
 
Game Two
The Gaels began the game scoring two quick runs, 2-0. The Miners would answer in the top of the second inning, when Duffield led off with her third homer of the year. Then Kasey Flores kept the inning alive with a single, giving Santos the opportunity to bring her home with a double into left centerfield. Lindsey Sokoloski joined in on the party, hitting another double to score Santos that propelled the Miners to a 3-2 go-ahead lead.
 
The UTEP offense would continue the barrage in the third inning when Valles led off the frame with a single and then Cortney Smith hit an absolute rocket over the left field fence to make the count 5-2.
 
The Miners' bats continued their ways into the fourth inning when Duffield brought in two runs off of a base hit to extend the lead to 7-2.
 
Wright (2-3) capped off the game, throwing her sixth consecutive shutout inning and securing the victory for UTEP, 7-2.
 
Notes
 
>> Kacey Duffield extended her reached-base streak to 13 games in a row
 
Up Next
The Miners will play Seattle tomorrow morning (10 a.m. MT) in the final game of the Aggie Invitational for UTEP.