UIW sweeps doubleheader from Lady Tigers

Courtesy of SWAC.org
 
HOUSTON – Texas Southern fell in both sides of a Tuesday non-conference double-header to Incarnate Word at Memorial Park, with the Lady Tigers coming up short by a score of 8-7 in game one before dropping game two 9-3.
 
Trailing 7-3 heading to the bottom of the fourth inning during game one, the Lady Tigers (15-8-1) set on the comeback trail in the fifth, manufacturing a threat after Terren Vinson singled, stole second, and Dominique Tello knocked a base hit to put runners at the corners. After pinch-runner Jocilynn Ellis swiped second, Danielle Sonnier scored Vinson with a RBI single to make the game 7-4. However, TSU stranded two runners to end the inning.
 
After Shelby Neatherlin hit a solo home run in the top of the seventh to widen the Cardinals' lead to 8-4, Texas Southern tried to claw back into it as Vinson reached on an error and swiped second base again. Tello delivered a RBI single to score Vinson and after Sonnier advanced her over with a single, A'Leecia Bell followed with a base hit that plated Tello. Coren Davis followed with a RBI single, pulling TSU within one with two on and no outs.
 
However, the next three Lady Tiger bats were retired, ending the game.
 
Felicia Garza received the loss, allowing five runs on six hits in 1.1 innings of work – UIW scored six runs over the first two innings – and Sonnier was 3-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored. Tello was 3-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored.
 
In game two, UIW managed to get ahead on TSU starter Jasmin Fulmore, as the Cardinals scored three runs in the first inning. In the second, a two-run single from Emily Castro made the game 5-0. After Lauren Rodriguez came on to relieve Fulmore in the fourth, TSU put some offense together as Julia Bilbao hit a two-run double, and Tevanae Tate added a RBI single to bring the Lady Tigers within two.
 
However, Incarnate Word managed two runs off Rodriguez in the next inning, and tacked on two more late to pull away.
 
UIW's Breanna Hernandez held TSU to three hits in a complete-game win, allowing no earned runs. Fulmore was charged with the loss (3.0 IP, 7 H, 5 R,), falling to 3-3 on the year.