ARLINGTON, Texas - Facing the same two teams in Rider and Missouri-Kansas City from yesterday, Lamar University's softball team found themselves in two hard-fought games on the second day of the University of Texas-Arlington's Boerner Invitational. Both Aaliyah Ruiz and Karyana Mitchell pitched very well in their starts, but in the end, the Cardinals came away with a split.

Game one saw another tight battle with the Roos of UMKC and the Cardinals would once again edge them out. This time, it was a 3-2 final score. Ruiz got the start and would add four strikeouts to make it 281 for her career while going the distance allowing two runs on five hits. Sam Bean delivered two hits, including the game-winning RBI while Nicolette Ramirez had an RBI as well. Kaylee Ancelot, Audry Fleming, Hayley Freudenberg, and Kalyn Xayaseng also picked up a hit each.

Game two was a scoreless pitchers' duel for 6.5 innings until RU walked it off in the bottom of the seventh for a 1-0 triumph. Mitchell took the loss after 6.0 innings while allowing five hits and striking out three. Bean, Freudenberg, Brooke Davis, and the Xayaseng sisters of Aleka and Kalyn would each record a hit.

Game 1: LU 3, UMKC 2

LU scratched a run across in the first two innings as Bean led off the bottom of the first with a single and scored on a passed ball. One inning later, Fleming doubled to second and would reach third on a groundout before Ramirez drove her in via sac fly. Ruiz held the Roos scoreless for three innings. But in the fourth, they would tie up the score with two runs.

The score stayed tied until the bottom of the fifth as Kalyn Xayaseng delivered a two-out single and stole second base. Bean then followed with a single up the middle to score Kalyn Xayaseng giving LU a 3-2 lead. Ruiz shut down the Roos in the final two innings to claim her second straight victory in the circle. This win for the Cardinals marked their third straight victory.

Game 2: RU 1, LU 0

While both teams recorded a hit in the top of the first inning, LU had their first chance to score in the third with Kalyn Xayaseng singling and reaching second, where she would be stranded by the end of the inning. The Broncs picked up their second hit in the fourth with a two-out single only to leave that runner stranded.

LU managed to put the go ahead runners in scoring position in each of the next three innings, yet were unable to bring them in. Mitchell was able to keep the Broncs scoreless through six inning, but RU finally broke the deadlock in the bottom of the seventh putting the first two on with a single and an error. The next batter ended the contest with a single for the game's only run.

The Cardinals will return to action tomorrow for the final day as they will meet up with  host school UTA at 12:30 p.m.
 

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