EL PASO, Texas – The UTEP softball team took care of business on day two of the 2022 UTEP Invitational with a 4-3 victory over Abilene Christian (0-2) and followed with a 7-4 win over Creighton (1-1) on Friday evening at the Helen of Troy Softball Complex.
The Miners improved to 3-1 and are off to their best start since the 2012 season.
Aalijah Alarcon (2-0) notched another victory under her belt. The freshman threw 7.0 innings, struck out six while only giving up one walk to defeat ACU. Freshman pitcher Annika Litterio bounced back in game two claiming her first career victory as she threw 5.0 innings with five strikeouts against Creighton. UTEP junior Isabella Kelly made her season debut as she closed out the last 2.0 innings, saving game two with a strikeout.
Offensively, Pate Cathey connected on a pair of hits, scored a pair of runs and recorded three RBIs in the two games. Kaylin Jackson finished 3-for-6, also knocking in three runs.
"I'm very proud of the team today," head coach TJ Hubbard said. "They did an excellent job in some clutch situations. The pitchers did a tremendous job and defense did very well in some high leverage situations. We are looking forward to the rest of the weekend. We are off to a good start, and I look forward to see what else this team can do."
GAME 1 | UTEP 4, ACU 3
ACU was first to score with a single to left field in the top of the third inning. Settling into the bottom of the fifth, Cathey hit a two-run double to right field, bringing in Ajia Richard and Lexi Morales to take a 2-1 lead. Marijn Crowel followed with her own RBI on a double down the left field line that plated Cathey. Jordyn Lopez pinch ran for Crouwel while ACU switched out pitchers in hopes to stop the Miners but were unsuccessful as Kaylin Jackson crushed a single to left center and allowed Lopez to score.
ACU cut the deficit to two with a single to the left in the top of the sixth scoring from third.
The Wildcats belted a solo home run over left field with one out in the final inning but were no match for the Miners' defense.
Morales, Jackson and Karina Somoza each went 2-for-3, picking up six of the Miners' nine hits.
GAME 2 | UTEP 7, Creighton 4
Richard opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning with a solo homer to center field to take an early lead.
In the bottom of the third, with Autumn Scott on third and Lexi Morales on second, Cathey singled through the left side and advanced to second on the throw allowing Morales to advance to third and Scott to home. Kaylin Jackson smashed a double to right center to bring in Morales and Cathey. Rebolledo was brought in to pinch-run for Jackson and shortly after, she touched on home with the help of a single to right from Cheyenne Stark. Stark, who finished 2-for-3, advanced to second on a wild pitch and Hunter Harkrider walked. ACU swapped out pitchers just before the Miners loaded the bases and ended up walking Morales allowing Stark to score. The Miners shredded the third inning with six runs on seven hits to take a 7-0 lead.
Creighton got on the board with their first homerun of the season in the top of the fourth.
The Bluejays added three more runs in the fifth, cutting the deficit down to 7-4 and would only get one base runner leaving the Miners to snatch the 7-4 win.
UP NEXT
The Miners will face off against Creighton (1-1) at 4 p.m. MT, Saturday (Feb. 12) at the Helen of Troy Softball Complex. Prior to UTEP's contests in other action at the 2022 UTEP Invitational, ACU will have back-to-back games against Idaho State at 10 a.m. and Creighton at 1 p.m.
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