Feb. 27, 2011

Box Score

EL PASO – The UTEP softball team closed out competition of the 2011 UTEP Invitational with a 15-7 win over the Bradley Braves at the Helen of Troy Complex on Sunday afternoon.

“We are still making mistakes in the circle, but our offensive attack has helped overcome those errors,” co-head coach James Rodriguez said. “We have more work to do next week, but we are happy with this weekend.”

The game was called with the Miners at bat with two outs at the top of the sixth completing the mandated minimum of five innings for a regulation game to improve to 9-6 for the season. Freshman pitcher Laura Ramos was credited with the complete game and recorded her second collegiate win. Ramos is now 2-2 in the circle for the Miners this season.

UTEP lit up the scoreboard on Chelsea Troupe’s two-run home run in the top of the first and added three more runs in the second to put the Miners up 5-0. Kayleigh Walts got the bats going for the Miners in the top of the third with an infield single and advanced to second on Kayla Oranger’s two-base hit to right field. Walts reached home on a passed ball that also moved Oranger to third. With runners at the corners after freshman Samantha Alvillar was awarded first base on balls, Ramos reached first on an error that brought Oranger home to make the score 7-0. UTEP ended up with another run for a 8-0 score after the top of the third.

Bradley got on the board with a pair of runs in the following frame, but the Miners were not done scoring. With one out on the board, the Miners hit back-to-back doubles including Walts’ single to the right side to extend the lead to 10-2. Ramos’ right side single brought Oranger home to make the score 11-2 before the end of the inning.

The Braves recorded three hits for two runs in the bottom of the fourth to pull within seven at 11-4. UTEP’s leadoff Kia Moore reached first on a single and crossed home on an illegal pitch. The Miners capitalized off of that illegal pitch that placed Troupe at first and advanced her on a passed ball and wild pitch. Walts hit another infield single to bring Troupe home to extend the lead to 12-4.

Bradley avoided the five-inning mercy rule on a two-run home run in the bottom of the fifth and scored once again on a triple to bring UTEP back to bat. With two runners on base, Moore tripled for her third hit of the day to score two more for the Miners.

Walts led all hitters with four hits, two runs and two RBIs. Moore had three hits, two runs and two RBIs in the win.

UTEP will travel to Denton, Texas, next weekend for the North Texas Courtyard Classic.