ARLINGTON, Texas - History was made for Lamar University's softball team as pitcher Aaliyah Ruiz became the school's all-time strikeout queen with 277 career strikeouts passing Laura Napoli (275). Needing five strikeouts to break the record, Ruiz wasted no time getting all five and then one more as her pitching performance would help spark a 2-0 day for the Cardinals on the first day of the Boerner Invitational hosted by UT-Arlington.

LU opened the day with a five-inning 9-1 victory against the Rider University Broncs. Earning her first win of the year in the circle, Ruiz allowed one run on two hits to go along with her six K's in all five innings pitched. . On offense, Sam Bean was a perfect four-for-four with three RBI and scoring two runs while Aleka Xayaseng drove in two runs on two hits.

Needing just six strikeouts to break the record, Ruiz would help give LU a 9-1 five-inning win in Game 1 over the Rider University Broncs while Big Red held on to a 5-4 victory against the University of Missouri-Kansas City Roos in the second game for a 2-0 day.

Game two saw Big Red jump out to a 5-1 lead before holding on to a 5-4 victory. Hayley Freudenberg drove in two RBI on two hits to lead LU. Cameron Niedenthal got the start in game two pitching 3.0 innings of three-run, two-hit ball with one strikeout. Karyana Mitchell earned her third win in relief with four innings allowing one run on four hits while striking out five.


Game 1: LU 9, RU 1 (5 Innings)

Despite giving up the early run, the Cardinals answered with three runs in the bottom of the first inning as Freudenberg singled in Bean and later came in to score on a wild pitch while Hinojosa doubled in Estela Garza for a 3-1 lead. In the second inning with two on, Bean would drive in the fourth run before Aleka Xayaseng doubled in two more runs to give LU a 6-1 lead. Another Bean double in the third made it 7-1 for the Cardinals.

Meanwhile, Ruiz tied the record with four strikeouts through the first three innings. On the first batter of the fourth inning, Ruiz delivered the record-breaking pitch to pick up career strikeout number 276. She then added one more in the frame to keep the Broncs off the scoreboard. In the fifth inning, Sydney Norton's RBI sac fly to score Emilee LaRue made it 8-1 before Bean ended the contest with another RBI double.


Game 2: LU 5, UMKC 4

The Cardinals carried their momentum into the first inning of game two as Fleming, Hinojosa, and Ramirez each delivered RBI singles. While UMKC scratched a run across in the bottom of the first, Big Red extended their lead to 5-1 in the second as Freudenberg delivered a crucial two-out, two-run single up the middle. The Roos wouldn't back down scoring twice in the third inning to cut the deficit to 5-3.

As Mitchell came in to start the fourth, she would allow a two-out triple that narrowed LU's lead to one at 5-4. The next two innings gave Mitchell tests to overcome UMKC scoring threats and she would pass both times. Snaring a line drive and doubling up the runner to end the fifth, the former UNC-Charlotte 49er got out of another jam in the sixth recording a 1-3 putout. No problems were necessary in the seventh as Mitchel retired the side in order and gave LU their second straight win of the day.


The Cardinals will take on the same two teams and the same times tomorrow, but in reverse order. LU will battle UMKC at 10:00 a.m., while they will see RU at 12:30 p.m.
 

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