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Zias pull off split against Incarnate Word

Freshman left fielder Kyra Sirag hit a two-out RBI single to center in the bottom of the seventh inning on Friday, lifting Eastern New Mexico University past Incarnate Word 5-4 for a split of their Lone Star Conference softball doubleheader at Zia Softball Field.

The Cardinals won the opener 5-1. The final game of the series is scheduled for noon today.

CMI correspondent: Joshua LuceroENMU sophomore Aurelia Sandoval is tagged out by Incarnate Word shortstop Lindsey Hood on a steal attempt during the first game of Friday's Lone Star Conference softball doubleheader at Zia Softball Field. The teams split, with UIW winning the opener 5-1 and ENMU taking the nightcap 5-4.

Third baseman Lizzy Velasquez opened the seventh with a double off UIW's Briana Sanchez (10-5), then took third on a sacrifice by first baseman Erica Amendarez. After a strikeout, Sirag drove a 2-2 pitch into center field to end the game.

Sophomore Alberta Medina (2-7), who pitched 3 2/3 shutout innings in relief in the opener, worked the final three innings for the win in the nightcap, allowing just one hit and one unearned run.

Amendarez clobbered her team-leading fourth home run, a three-run shot, to give the Zias (9-25, 2-6 LSC) a 3-1 lead in the first. Velasquez, who finished the game 3-for-4, delivered a run-scoring single in the fourth off UIW starter Whitney Waltrip to make it 4-2.

The Cardinals (18-11, 4-4) pulled even in the fifth with two runs on only one hit.

In the opener, Sanchez pitched six shutout innings, then came back in after the first three batters reached against reliever Kandace Patek in the bottom of the seventh. She gave up an RBI single to center by Jacqueline Candelaria, but escaped with the help of a double play.

UIW broke through with three runs after two were out in the third, getting an RBI double from Monica Acuna and a two-run double from Waltrip off Katie Ramsay (2-14).

In the fourth, Incarnate's Taylor Johnson hit a one-out RBI triple to right field and scored on Alex Zepeda's single to center for a 5-0 lead.