by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | Natural Health
Adults who become overweight or obese have a higher risk of dying from heart disease, cancer or other illnesses, a new study suggests.
Further, the risk of dying increases in proportion to the amount of excess weight you gain, the researchers found.
The results undercut the so-called “obesity paradox” — a theory that obesity could protect the health of some people and even give them a survival advantage, said senior study author Andrew Stokes. He’s an assistant professor of global health with the Boston University School of Public Health.
In the study, Stokes and his colleagues tracked the weight history of more than 225,000 participants in three large studies, gauging the maximum body mass index (BMI) of each person across an average of 16 years.
“We found that after considering weight history, the apparent paradoxical association between overweight/obesity and the risk of dying completely disappeared,” Stokes said.
Morbidly obese people were twice as likely to die from any cause, more than three times as likely to die from heart disease, and 50 percent more likely to die from cancer compared with normal-weight folks, researchers concluded.
Previous studies with results supporting the obesity paradox have only checked participants’ BMI at one point in time, producing a weight “snapshot” that might not reflect the person’s actual excess pounds over their lifetime, Stokes said.
This can bias the results, when you consider that many people with a fatal illness frequently lose a lot of weight prior to death, he said.
“Some people have unintentional weight loss driven by the onset of a chronic disease like cancer or a heart condition,” Stokes said. “When you just consider the snapshot, some people in the normal-weight category are those who developed a disease and are losing weight on the pathway to dying. That acts as a bias.”
Tracking the subjects’ weight every couple of years via questionnaires, researchers were able to categorize them based on the highest BMI they reached during the study period — underweight (less than 18.5 BMI), normal weight (18.5-25 BMI), overweight (25-30 BMI), obese (30-35 BMI) and morbidly obese (greater than 35 BMI).
They then tracked participants an average of 12 years, noting which ones died and the cause of their deaths.
A person’s overall risk of dying increased based on their maximum BMI, the researchers found: 10 percent increased risk for overweight people, 34 percent for the obese and 98 percent for the morbidly obese.
The same sliding scale held for risk of death from heart disease (23 percent increased risk for overweight people, 71 percent increased risk for the obese and more than triple for the morbidly obese) and cancer (5 percent for overweight, 20 percent for obese and 50 percent for morbidly obese).
Underweight people also had an increased overall risk of death (46 percent) and death by heart disease (77 percent) or cancer (7 percent).
However, the study cannot prove that the additional weight caused the increased death risk, and it can’t say whether or not losing the weight would reduce the extra risk, Stokes added.
“That’s a really important question, and it’s a question I aim to address in future research,” Stokes said. “In this paper, we have not distinguished between intentional and unintentional weight loss. We cannot say anything at this point about whether having a history of overweight and obesity sticks with you even after you lose the weight through lifestyle change.”
Dr. Scott Kahan, director of the National Center for Weight and Wellness in Washington, D.C., said he’s not surprised that the obesity paradox does not appear to stand up to close scrutiny.
“We have no biologically plausible reason to think that carrying excess weight would be protective in any way,” Kahan said, noting that extra pounds place added stress on the body while larger fat cells produce harmful inflammatory chemicals and hormones.
At the same time, Kahan thinks ultimately it will be proven that overweight and obese people could reduce their risk by losing weight.
“Many, many other studies have shown that even moderate weight loss leads to improvement of a wide range of health problems,” said Kahan, a spokesman for The Obesity Society.
Stokes agreed. “We have quite compelling evidence from trials of bariatric surgery that weight loss is hugely beneficial in reducing your risk of disease or dying,” he said.
The study was published in the April 3 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | Gut and Intestinal Health, Natural Health
Using antibiotics very early in life may lead to developing inflammatory diseases later in life, says a new report published in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology. Using antibiotics in infancy disrupts the normal development and growth of gut bacteria, and in addition to contributing to gut problems such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), the altered environment may contribute to other inflammatory diseases such as asthma and multiple sclerosis.
The study also indicates that altering gut bacteria may be a way to treat or prevent some inflammatory diseases.
“Our study demonstrates that gut bacteria in early life do affect disease development in adulthood, but this response can be changed,” said Colby Zaph of the School of Biomedical Sciences at Monash University, Australia.
The study has important ramifications for using pre- and probiotics, in the administration of antibiotics to newborns, and to the understanding of how gut bacteria play a critical role in the development of inflammatory diseases such as IBD.
For the study, scientists used two groups of mice. The first group included pregnant females treated with broad spectrum antibiotics during pregnancy and pups treated with broad spectrum antibiotics for the first three weeks of life.
The second group was a control group that consisted of untreated pregnant mothers and pups. The pups in the treated group were weaned at three weeks of age and antibiotic treatment was stopped at the same time. These pups had reduced levels of gut bacteria and were allowed to age normally.
At eight weeks of age, immune cells (CD4 T cells) from both the treated and untreated pups were examined for their ability to induce irritable bowel disease in other mice. The immune cells from antibiotic-treated mice induced a more rapid and more severe disease than those from the untreated mice.
Another recent study connected Gulf War Illness (GWI) to changes in gut bacteria. Researchers found that the chemicals, etc. that veterans were exposed to altered the microbiome — the bacteria that inhabit the gut. The affected microbiota then produce endotoxins, which pass through a thinned lining of the gut (called a leaky gut) and into the blood where they circulate throughout the body.
These compounds trigger an inflammatory response that, in turn, initiates several neurological abnormalities commonly observed in GWI, such as cognitive difficulties, widespread pain, and debilitating fatigue.
by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | Natural Health
We’re in the middle of a drug-addiction epidemic in the United States, and increasing numbers of overdoses — and fatalities — have a lot of people worried. Many addicts are in and out of treatment centers and go right back to drugs and alcohol.
But Recovery Unplugged Treatment Centers have been reporting remarkable success using an innovative form of music therapy to treat addiction and help recovery.
Only about 7 percent of clients leave the centers’ facilities in Fort Lauderdale and Austin before completing treatment programs, according to Paul Pellinger, certified addictions counselor. The national average, he says, is 42-45 percent.
Richie Supa, famed songwriter and director of creative recovery at Recovery Unplugged, says the key to the organization’s success rate is the way the program uses music to speed recovery from addiction.
“Music does several things to the brain and the body,” Supa explains. “Everybody likes music and the lyrics. We didn’t invent the wheel, but applied it to addiction recovery.”
Pellinger explains that a growing body of evidence suggests music has unique and powerful impacts on the brain — not unlike the effects of drugs. Researchers have found it can ease depression and combat Alzheimer’s disease symptoms.
Studies have even shown listening to music fires endorphins — neurotransmitters generated in the brain’s pleasure centers — which can generate feelings of euphoria during exercise and other activities in ways comparable to exercise and psycho-pharmaceuticals.
“There is science behind music [impacts],” Pellinger says. “It lights up the brain like a hit of cocaine.
The center’s use of music starts before the client even arrives, Pellinger explains, and when they leave it goes with them.
Interviews conducted before arrival help the center to pinpoint a client’s music interests. When they are picked up by a driver, their favorite music is magically playing in the vehicle. When they leave treatment, they go with an MP3 player and earbuds.
“Focusing on consequences doesn’t really help an addict,” Pellinger says. “We need to communicate to the soul, not the head.”
The center’s success, Pellinger says, is based on several key principles. First of all, music helps to establish rapport with clients.
“If you don’t have this, you’re not going anywhere,” he says. “If they are still having trouble expressing ideas, there is probably a song about it. This provides engagement for them to start thinking and talking. Once we get them to talk about ‘their truth,’ I can help them re-frame it and normalize feelings.”
“We also use music as an anchor to help people remember things,” Pellinger said. “If I asked you what you had for lunch yesterday, you probably couldn’t tell me, but you could probably tell me what your favorite songs were years ago. This helps clients associate and remember.”
One of Richie Supa’s songs, “I’ve got this,” refers to the tendency of addicts and drunks to shrug off help. Former clients have talked about remembering those lyrics and being able to change behaviors. Clinicians are taught to communicate to the head, but music helps people remember what they need to do to stay sober.
The vibrations of music are also important in recovery. “People in post acute withdrawal are jumpy and have aching bones. The vibration of music penetrates the body and acts as a calming factor. Vibrations are equally as effective as Xanax if you let it work for you,” Pellinger says.
Eighty-five percent of the clients who treated by Recovery Unplugged are not musically trained, Pellinger says, but everyone still responds to music.
Supa’s involvement in Recovery Unplugged came after 26 years as a drug addict. When he went into recovery in 1988, he started writing a song called “Amazing” for Aerosmith.
The huge success of this song helped Supa see that he had done much more than write a good song. “Amazing” reached a lot of people who needed help, he says.
“People tell me that this song saved their lives. That planted a seed way back then,” Supa notes. “I know the dark side and I know walking out of the shadows into the sunlight. My new album, ‘Enemy,’ touches on all the emotions.”
Supa had been playing at detox centers before Recovery Unplugged, and started to see emotional responses to his music.
“I knew I was making a connection,” he says. He developed a one-man show called “Recovery Unplugged,” and when he met Pellinger, who has been an addictions counselor for 29 years, they knew they were on the same page.
Pellinger’s treatment center, then named “Harmony,” was renamed Recovery Unplugged and Supa became director of creative recovery.
“We got amazing results with music,” Supa says. “We allow clients to sing along and it provides a sense of unity. Music is non-threatening and when I deliver a message the clients don’t sit with their hands across their chest. There is no psycho-babble.”
Supa has invited his friend Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler, among other musicians, to participate in programs at Recovery Unplugged.
One former client, 2 ½ years clean, is Doug Tibbs, also a musician.
“All the stories are similar,” Tibbs says. “You come to a fork in the road and you are going to die, or you’re going to get your life back.”
At Recovery Unplugged, Tibbs played with Supa twice a week.
“I had been in other places that were like hospitals, and Recovery Unplugged was the complete opposite,” he notes.
“Music is universal,” Tibbs says.
Supa agrees.
“The greatest thrill for me is when a parent hugs me and says thanks for getting my kid back,” Supa adds. “If you want to find yourself, lose yourself in helping other people. This is a rebirth for me.”
For more information about Recovery Unplugged: 954-703-6152.
by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | Natural Health
A common virus in infancy could trigger a life-long allergy to gluten and lead to celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder which affects one in 133 people in the United States, researchers said Thursday.
Celiac disease is caused when the body has an improper immune response — much like an allergy — to the protein gluten, found in wheat, rye, and barley.
The disease damages the lining of the small intestine, and has no cure. It can only be treated by adopting a gluten-free diet.
But if Thursday’s study in the journal Science — based on experiments using mice — is confirmed in larger studies in people, researchers said a vaccine might be able to prevent celiac disease in the future.
“This study clearly shows that a virus that is not clinically symptomatic can still do bad things to the immune system and set the stage for an autoimmune disorder, and for celiac disease in particular,” said senior author Bana Jabri, director of research at the University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center.
The study found that intestinal bugs called reoviruses can make the immune system overreact to gluten, a protein that is already difficult to digest.
Given to mice, “one common human reovirus triggered an inflammatory immune response and the loss of oral tolerance to gluten, while another closely related but genetically different strain did not,” said the study.
The virus led to a surge in antibodies that may leave a “permanent mark on the immune system that sets the stage for a later autoimmune response to gluten.”
Most infants eat their first gluten-containing cereals around six months of age, a time when their immune systems are more vulnerable to viruses.
“During the first year of life, the immune system is still maturing, so for a child with a particular genetic background, getting a particular virus at that time can leave a kind of scar that then has long-term consequences,” Jabri said.
“That’s why we believe that once we have more studies, we may want to think about whether children at high risk of developing celiac disease should be vaccinated.”
Co-authors of the study were from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine; the University of Naples, Italy; Erasmus University Medical Center in Rotterdam, Netherlands; Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; the Broad Institute at MIT; the University of Montreal; and Stanford University.
by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | Natural Health
If you’re thinking about adding a dog to the family, you have two good reasons to say “yes,” say researchers from the University of Alberta. Their study found that babies from families with pets — 70 percent were dogs — had higher levels of two microbes that protect against allergies and obesity.
There is a catch, though. “There’s definitely a critical window of time when gut immunity and microbes co-develop, and when disruptions to the process result in changes to gut immunity,” said pediatric epidemiologist Anita Kozyrskyj.
Her team’s research found that exposure to pets in the womb or up to three months after birth increases the amount of two bacteria, Ruminococcus, which has been linked to a reduced risk of childhood allergies, and Oscillospira, which has been linked to a lower risk of obesity.
“The abundance of these two bacteria were increased twofold when there was a pet in the house,” said Kozyrskyj, adding that the pet exposure was shown to affect the gut microbiome indirectly — from dog to mother to unborn baby — during pregnancy as well as during the first three months of the baby’s life. In other words, even if the dog had been given away for adoption just before the woman gave birth, the healthy microbiome exchange could still take place.
The study also found that the immunity-boosting exchange occurred even in three birth scenarios known for reducing immunity: C-section versus vaginal delivery, antibiotics during birth, and lack of breastfeeding.
In addition, the study suggested that pets in the house reduced the likelihood of the transmission of vaginal GBS (group B Strep) during birth, which causes pneumonia in newborns and is prevented by giving mothers antibiotics during delivery.
Kozyrskyj theorizes that one day there may be a “dog in a pill” to help prevent allergies and obesity.
“It’s not far-fetched that the pharmaceutical industry will try to create a supplement of these microbiomes, much like was done with probiotics,” she said.
Previous research has also found that children raised in homes with pets have fewer allergies. A study published in Clinical & Experimental Allergy found that children who were exposed to pets before the age of six months had fewer allergy-related conditions such as asthma, hay fever, eczema, and upper respiratory infections as they grew older. Another study found that babies who lived in homes with pets had fewer colds and ear infections during their first year of life than babies living in homes without pets.
Pets are also good for mom and dad. Dogs have been found to lower the risk of heart disease, stress, depression, and chronic pain.
by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | UTEP (Local) RSS
After a total of 38 runs during Saturday’s doubleheader, UTEP and WKU played seven scoreless frames before the top of the eighth. The Hilltoppers (22-21, 6-9 Conference USA) put up seven runs on seven hits to pull away from the Miners (11-28, 5-10 C-USA), 7-2, in the rubber match on Sunday afternoon at the Helen of Troy Softball Complex.
UTEP set itself up for a possible walk-off win in the bottom seventh when two runners were on second and third with one out.
Lindsey Sokoloski reached first on an error to lead off the seventh and Mallorie Cross used a sacrifice bunt to advance to Sokoloski to second base. Pinch hitter Mariah Ellis connected a single hit to left, while advancing to second on the throw. The top of the order came around with Kaitlin Ryder at bat with two runners on and one out. Ryder reached on a fielder’s choice as Sokoloski was thrown out, but Ellis advanced to third. Courtney Clayton then grounded out on a 1-1 pitch to end the frame.
In the eighth inning, WKU’s Brittany Vaughn and Kelsey McGuffin each tallied a pair of RBI.
The Miners tacked on two runs in the bottom half.
Kiki Pepi connected on her second hit in an eighth, a one-out single to left and advanced to third on an error by the fielder. Taylor Sargent then drove Pepi home on a ball crushed to deep right center for her second triple in as many days. Pamala Baber followed with a sacrifice fly to center that plated Sargent to make the score 7-2. But after back-to-back singles by Sokoloski and Cross, Ariel Blair grounded out to short to end the contest.
Kaitlin Fifield (2-6) made her second start of the weekend, holding WKU’s bats in the check for the first seven frames. Fifield got out of jams throughout the contest, hurling 7.2 innings and striking out a trio of Hilltoppers – all looking. Fifield worked her way out of bases loaded situation in the third, while finding herself with a pair of runners on second and third in the sixth, but forced back-to-back groundouts to the pitcher’s circle.
Kathryn Downing (12-8), a day after losing game one, threw a complete game victory on Sunday, tallying four Ks and allowing nine hits.
Pepi and Sargent each finished 2-for-4, while Cross produced a 2-for-3 outing. Sargent added her 17th RBI of the season and raised her average to .349 to rank third on the squad. Sargent was hitting .250 after the March 26 contest versus Southern Miss. The junior is hitting a team-best .600 (18-30) the last eight games with 10 RBI and six doubles – both team highs during the stretch.
UTEP is hitting .307 as a team after producing nine hits on Sunday and a total of 30 knocks during the weekend.
UTEP will travel to Ruston to take on LA Tech during Easter Weekend (April 14-15). The Lady Techsters (9-3) stand in first place in the West Division after sweeping UAB this past weekend.
Friday’s doubleheader is set for a 1 p.m. MT/2 CT, while Saturday is set for an 11 a.m. MT/noon CT start.
by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | UTEP (Local) RSS
The short-handed Miners kept it close, but could not hang on to Conference USA foe UTSA, falling 4-0 Sunday at the El Paso Tennis and Swim Club.
The Miners, who played with only four players due to injury, are now 0-1 in conference, 4-12 overall on the season while the Roadrunners improved to 1-1 in conference, 11-8 overall.
Doubles play began with the Roadrunners already having an early lead to the point due to a UTEP forfeit on court three because of the short lineup. Lois Wagenvoort and Milou Pietersz faced UTSA’s Miriam Rosell and Kylee Kato at the No. 1 doubles spot, with the Roadrunners prevailing 6-3 for the doubles point.
On court two, Raven Bennett and Daphne Visscher were leading the Roadrunners’ Sonia Medina Madronal and Denisa Ibrahimovic 5-3 before their match was called and left unfinished.
In singles action, Pietersz faced the Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s No. 99 ranked singles player in Rosell and dropped the first set 6-1. Pietersz battled back in set two, but Rosell ended the set and match with a 6-4 victory. On court three, Wagenvoort was leading UTSA’s Charleen Tiwari 6-2, 4-3 before the match was called and Maria Paula Medina, who returned after being cleared from a concussion, took the first set from Linda Hallgren 6-3 and was playing in a 2-all set two on court four before the match was called.
The Miners will return to action Friday, April 14, when they face Interstate 10 rival NM State at the El Paso Tennis and Swim Club. First serve is set for 11 a.m.
Final results: UTSA 4, UTEP 0
Singles competition
1. Miriam RosellCanudas (UTSA) def. Milou Pietersz (UTEP) 6-1, 6-4
2. Daphne Visscher (UTEP) vs. Denisa Ibrahimovic (UTSA) 4-6, 3-3, unfinished
3. Lois Wagenvoort (UTEP) vs. Charleen Tiwari (UTSA) 6-2, 4-3, unfinished
4. Maria Paula Medina (UTEP) vs. Linda Hallgren (UTSA) 6-3, 2-2, unfinished
5. Laura Cabrera (UTSA) def. No player (UTEP), by forfeit
6. Kylee Kato (UTSA) def. No player (UTEP), by forfeit
Doubles competition
1. Miriam RosellCanudas/Kylee Kato (UTSA) def. Lois Wagenvoort/Milou Pietersz (UTEP) 6-3
2. Raven Bennett/Daphne Visscher (UTEP) vs. Sonia Medina/Denisa Ibrahimovic (UTSA) 5-3, unfinished
3. Linda Hallgren/Charleen Tiwari (UTSA) def. No player/No player (UTEP), by forfeit
by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | UTEP (Local) RSS
SANTA CRUZ, Calif.- Day one of the 71st Western Intercollegiate came to a close with the UTEP men’s golf team sitting in a tie for sixth. The Miners shot 11-over 361 in round one, where rain suspended the second round of the Intercollegiate.
Play at the Pasatiempo Golf Club (par 70/6,615 yards) in Santa Cruz, Calif., will resume with the completion of round two tomorrow at 8 a.m. (PT), with the third and final round beginning immediately after. USC, ranked No. 1 in golfstat rankings, leads the field with 3-under 347.
Four Miners are at the top of their team’s scorecard and five strokes behind the tourney leader. Charles Corner, Andreas Sorensen, Frederik Dreier, and Aaron Terrazas all shot a round of 72 for a share of 26th. Corner racked up five birdies while Dreier collected 15 pars.
One stroke behind is Prescott Mann at 3-over 73, good for a tie of 40th. Nicklas Pihl rounds out the Miner squad with a round of 78, putting him in a tie for 83rd.
2017 WESTERN INTERCOLLEGIATE
Pasatiempo Golf Club (par 70/6,615 yards) – Hosted by San Jose State
Santa Cruz, Calif.
Dates: April 8-9
Teams: No. 1 USC, defending champion No. 7 Stanford, No. 9 Oregon, No. 17 Texas, No. 25 Arizona State, San Jose State, San Diego State, Arizona, Cal, UC Irvine, UCLA, Hawaii, Pepperdine, Washington
Format: The tournament proper will be scored by the best 5 out of 6 18-hole scores per round, with the best 54-hole score determining the champion.
Sunday April 9: Final Round Morning Shotgun/9:15 a.m.
Play at the Western Intercollegiate will conclude tomorrow. Live scoring will be available via golfstat.com.
by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | UTEP (Local) RSS
Registration for the highly-anticipated Miner Soccer Academy summer camps is now open; all camps are open to any and all entrants (only limited by number, age, grade and/or gender).
As part of camp registration, each camper will receive a Miner Soccer Academy shirt and a custom UTEP soccer ball. For anyone who signs up for the first camp at full price, there is a $20 discount for either soccer camp offered in July. If a team (minimum five players) signs up, there will be a $20 discount. There is also a UTEP employee discount available.
New for 2017 will be the UTEP Soccer College I.D. Camp (May 21), with the $75 registration including a dri-fit t-shirt. This camp is geared toward those individuals who have an interest in playing college soccer. Campers will be able to display their soccer skills and experience collegiate-like training instruction from the UTEP soccer staff. There will also be small-sided and 11 v 11 games.
The soccer and splash camp (June 19-22 and July 17-20) is the perfect summer camp for active kids of all skill levels. Campers will focus on developing a strong technical base while receiving instruction in ball control, dribbling, passing, shooting, juggling and defending. Campers will then get to splash around in the sprinklers to cool off from their hard work.
There will also be the advanced camp (June 19-22 and July 17-20), which is the ideal camp for individuals looking to improve their soccer skills and grow their knowledge of the game. It is open for players of all abilities but skills taught will be more advanced.
Campers will be instructed by top local club and high school coaches, in addition to UTEP staff. The camp emphasize will be advanced tactical topics, including combination play, transition, group defending and finishing.
For more information, please visit the website or please call (915) 747-7185 with any questions.
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by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | UTEP (Local) RSS
Senior Kaitlin Fifield pitched a complete-game victory and freshman Mallorie Cross registered a career-high three RBI as UTEP took care of WKU in six innings, 10-2, in the first game of aSaturday doubleheader at the Helen of Troy Softball Complex.
The Hilltoppers (21-21, 5-9 Conference USA) responded with an 18-8 (5) victory over the Miners (11-27, 5-9 C-USA) in game two.
The series finale will be played Sunday with the first pitch slated for a noon start.
UTEP 10, WKU 2 [6]
The Miners came out firing in the first inning as Kaitlin Ryder led the game off with a single to left on a 0-2 pitch. Courtney Clayton drew a walk to set up a Taylor Sargent two-out, two-run single hit to left on a full-count pitch to give UTEP a 2-0 advantage.
Sargent had also advanced to second on the throw and after taking third base on a passed ball, Cross recorded the first of her three RBI on a double smacked to right center for a 3-0 lead.
UTEP took a 4-0 lead when Pamala Baber drew a lead-off hit by pitch that set up a Clayton sacrifice hit to left.
The Hilltoppers cut the lead to 4-2 as Jordan Mauch and Adarian Gray tallied back-to-back RBI doubles in the third. But the Orange and Blue got the pair of runs back in the home half as Pepi and Sargent crossed the dish on a throwing error to home with bases loaded (6-2).
The Miners would tack on another run in the fourth when Cross singled in Kiki Pepi on an infield single on a 2-2 pitch to put the Miners ahead, 7-2. Pepi had reached on a fielder’s choice earlier in the frame.
After a scoreless fifth, the Miners put the game away in the sixth.
Cortney Smith reached second base on an error with one out, while Pepi singled in Smith on a hit to shallow left for an 8-2 advantage. Sargent would reach on a fielder’s choice as out no. 2 was recorded, but Cross connected on her third hit of the afternoon on a single to center that plated Sargent (9-2).
Cross, who had reached second on the throw, was replaced by pinch runner senior Miranda Gutierrez. Lindsey Sokoloski, who rates no. 1 in the nation in toughest to strikeout, drew a walk on a 3-1 toss that set up Baber. After a wild pitch advanced Gutierrez to third, the freshman drove a ball through the left side that plated her teammate for the game-winning run.
UTEP produced another double-digit hit (12) performance led by Cross’s 3-for-4 effort (tied career high). Sargent’s bat stayed lit as she produced a 3-for-4 outing with a pair of RBI and a career-high three runs scored.
Sargent is hitting .615 (16-26) with nine RBI, five doubles, six runs and two stolen bases the last seven games (including game two). Clayton (including game two) has reached base in nine consecutive games after she drew a walk during game one.
“[Taylor Sargent] is doing a great job and she’s starting to stay within herself and not try too hard,” fourth-year head coach Tobin Echo-Hawk said. “At the beginning of the year she was struggling a bit and it’s always a mental challenge. If they just keep working like we tell them, sooner or later things are going to fall into place. Your swing is going to make sense and you’ll start to feel comfortable. She’s done a great job with that.”
Fifield (2-5) won her second game of the season after hurling her team-leading third complete game. Fifield kept WKU’s big bats in check (leads C-USA in home runs), only allowing five hits and striking out a trio of Hilltoppers.
“[Kaitlin Fifield] did a great job and she kept [WKU] off the bases,” Echo-Hawk said. “Even when she got herself into a couple of jams, she did a nice job working out of it. She’s hitting her strides and we’re hoping she can keep consistent.”
One of those jams happened in the third after the back-to-back doubles. Fifield forced a ground out and struck out Rebekah Engelhardt to end the inning that left two runners on base.
Fifield now has 24 wins in the career, ranking tied third with Kelly Curran on the program’s all-time list. Danielle Pearson recorded 25 wins to rank no. 2. Stacie Townsend won 64 contests during her illustrious career.
The Miners also turned their 23rd double play of the season in the sixth (L54 DP), while it was the seventh double play turned the last six games.
UTEP 8, WKU 18 [5]
The Hilltoppers poured on the runs in the first inning as they took an 8-0 lead on five knocks.
The Miners never recovered but did score some runs to make the game interesting the first few frames.
After Clayton singled to left to reach base for the ninth consecutive game and Pepi drew a two-out walk, Sargent’s lumber did more work as she plated her teammates with her second career triple hit to right field off the fence to make the score 8-2. It was Sargent’s first triple since her freshman season.
After WKU scored a trio of runs in the second (11-2), the Miners responded with two more runs after Baber whaled on a 1-1 pitch and drove a liner down the leftfield line for her third home run of the season, getting the Miners within seven runs. The dinger was Baber’s first since March 8 at New Mexico.
With the score 12-4, Ryder drove in Sokoloski on a single slammed to right center. Sokoloski had reached base with her speed on a single hit to the short stop.
After WKU scored another six runs in the fifth, the Miners came up with three more runs in the bottom half. With bases loaded with one out, Sokoloski grounded out, but paved the way for Smith to cross the dish. A wild pitch then plated Pepi and Baber came up with her career-high third RBI on a hit to center field that scored Sargent.
UTEP registered nine knocks led by Baber’s 2-for-3 performance (tied career high). Prior to game one, Baber was hitless the previous eight games. Sargent tallied two more hits and Ariel Blair went 2-for-2.
“[Pamala Baber] and I worked pretty hard on timing this week,” Echo-Hawk said. “And she did a good job of paying attention to it and trying to do different things. She’s buying into what we are trying to tell her. It helps that she’s super coachable which helps us a lot.”
Blair made a spectacular catch to steal a Engelhardt home run the third inning with two outs. Engelhardt connected on a towering ball that just kept going. However, Blair made a nice read on it and made a leaping attempt to steal it over the fence. The ball hit her glove to ricochet back into the field of play and Blair snagged it while falling to the ground.
