LUBBOCK, Texas – After sitting out the opening day of the Jeannine McHaney Memorial Classic on Friday, UTEP Softball made its tournament debut on Saturday, splitting its two matchups. The Miners (8-4) fell to RV Indiana in their first contest of the day, 12-2, before bouncing back with a dominant 2-0 victory over Detroit Mercy.
Game 1: RV Indiana 12, UTEP 2
Despite a strong start, UTEP struggled against a potent Indiana offense that scored in three consecutive innings to secure a 12-2 victory. The Hoosiers struck first in the third inning, capitalizing on a trio of home runs from Alex Cooper, Melina Wilkison, and Avery Parker to take a commanding 4-0 lead.
UTEP responded in the bottom of the frame when Madi Mendoza doubled and later scored on an Indiana error. Iliana Munoz followed with an RBI double to cut the deficit to 4-2. However, the Hoosiers added four runs in both the fourth and fifth innings to put the game out of reach.
On the mound, Audrey Gallegos (2.1 IP, 4 ER) and Avery Reynolds (2.0 IP, 7 ER) shared pitching duties for the Miners. Indiana's Jasmine Reyes (2.2 IP, 0 H, 3 SO) earned the win in relief, shutting down UTEP's offense after entering in the third inning.
Game 2: UTEP 2, Detroit Mercy 0
The Miners rebounded in their afternoon matchup, defeating Detroit Mercy 2-0 behind stellar pitching and timely hitting. Audrey Gallegos (6.0 IP, 6 H, 2 SO) delivered a strong start, holding the Titans scoreless before handing the ball to Serenity Jacoway, who closed out the seventh inning for her first save of the season.
UTEP broke through in the third inning when Ashlynn Griffith singled and later scored on a wild pitch to give the Miners a 1-0 lead. Kenna Carranza added an insurance run in the sixth, doubling down the left-field line before scoring on another Detroit Mercy miscue.
The Miners' defense remained solid, turning a crucial double play in the fourth inning to escape a scoring threat from the Titans. UTEP out-hit Detroit Mercy 9-7, with Ajia Richard, Carranza, and Bri Garcia each collecting extra-base hits.
Up Next
UTEP will continue play at the Jeannine McHaney Memorial Classic on Sunday, February 23. The Miners face Illinois-Chicago at 8 a.m. MT before taking on No. 12 Texas Tech at 1 p.m. MT.
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