BEAUMONT, Texas – Aaliyah Ruiz pitched her second shutout of the season as the Lamar University softball team defeated Northwestern State, 5-0, in Southland Conference action on Saturday afternoon. With the win, the Cards took the series over the Lady Demons.
Lamar improves to 22-27 on the season and 13-8 in the SLC. LU is one game out of third place in the standings with six conference games left.
Northwestern State looked as if they would get to Ruiz, who was pitching for the second straight day, early in the game. With one out, Barbazon doubled to right center and St. Clair followed with a walk. Ruiz settled back in and retired the next two hitters ending the threat.
The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the third inning. With one out, Maddy Myers drew a walk and Elizabeth Castillo was hit by a pitch putting two on for LU. Shannon Klaus followed with a single up the middle, which loaded the bases. Shaina Amir followed with a single through right side of the infield, which scored one. The Cardinals scored two on a fielder's choice and took a 3-0 lead over Northwestern State heading to the fourth inning.
Ruiz continued to deal in the top of the fourth inning. She retired the Lady Demons in order as she got two-line outs and a pop out to end the inning.
The Cards scored two more runs in the bottom of the fourth. With Kelly Meeuwsen on second, Victoria Gariveysingled up the middle, which scored Meeuwsen. Myers and Castillo followed by getting hit by a pitch, which loaded the bases. The Cards scored its fifth run on a Lady Demons wild pitch and took a 5-0 lead into the fifth inning.
The Lady Demons looked as if the offense would wake up in the fifth. Ruiz limited the Lady Demons to one hit over the first four innings but in the fifth inning, NSU collected two hits. Both runners were left stranded on base.
The hits in the top of the fifth inning would be the last hits that Ruiz would give up in the contest. In the sixth inning, she got two ground outs and a fly out to end the frame. In the seventh, she retired the first hitter of the inning before the Lady Demons had a runner reach on an error. Following the error, she got a foul out and a strike out swinging to end the game giving the Cards a 5-0 victory.
Kimberly Mattox led the Cards with two RBIs in the contest. Jade Lewis led the hitters with two hits, while Shannon Klaus, Shaina Amir, Kelly Meeuwsen and Victoria Garivey all picked up a hit in the contest.
Ruiz went seven innings and limited the Lady Demons bats to three hits. She recorded two strikeouts and only walked one in the game.
Lamar returns to action on Tuesday, April 23 when they host Houston Baptist in a non-conference contest. First pitch is set for 5 p.m. from the LU Softball Complex.
Cardinals shutout Demons; win series
LU is one game out of third place in the standings with six conference games left.