LYNCHBURG, Va. – The UTEP softball team fought hard against nationally ranked No. 24 Liberty on Saturday afternoon at Kamphuis Field but came up short in both games of the doubleheader. The Miners narrowly fell 2-1 in Game 1 before dropping Game 2 in six innings by an 11-1 scoreline.
Game 1: Liberty 2, UTEP 1
The Miners (10-15) went toe-to-toe with the Lady Flames (22-6) in a defensive showdown in the first game of the twin bill. Both starting pitchers went the distance, with Liberty's Kaylan Yoder (6-2) securing the win and UTEP's freshman Serenity Jacoway (1-4) taking the loss.
UTEP found early offensive opportunities, as Ashlynn Griffith led off the first inning with a single and Ajia Richard was hit by a pitch, but Liberty escaped the frame unscathed. The Miners continued to apply pressure in the second, drawing walks from Halle Hogan and Jayde Pagdilao, though they were left stranded.
After a quiet third inning, Liberty recorded a double in the fourth but was unable to capitalize as the UTEP defense held strong. The Lady Flames finally broke through in the fifth with an RBI single to take a 1-0 lead.
Liberty added another run in the sixth, loading the bases before scoring on a sacrifice fly. However, the Miners' defense turned a crucial double play to keep the deficit at two.
UTEP made a late push in the seventh when Hogan launched a one-out solo home run to center field, cutting the lead to 2-1. But Yoder responded with two consecutive strikeouts to close the game.
Game 2: Liberty 11, UTEP 1 (6 Innings)
The Miners struck first in the second game, taking a 1-0 lead in the second inning. Amaya Lee sparked the offense with a single, and Kenna Carranza followed with a double to right-center, scoring Lee for the early advantage.
Liberty answered in the fourth when Rachel Roupe blasted a solo home run to even the score at 1-1. The Lady Flames then took the lead in the fifth, scoring twice on a UTEP error and a sacrifice fly to move ahead 3-1.
The Miners were unable to respond offensively, and Liberty exploded for an eight-run sixth inning to secure the run-rule victory.
Audrey Gallegos (3-4) suffered the loss for UTEP, while Liberty's Paige Bachman (7-1) picked up the win.
On Deck
UTEP returns home to Helen of Troy Field for a three-game series against I-10 rival New Mexico State from April 4-6.
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