SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - The University of the Incarnate Word softball team started off the 2013 season with a 5-2 win over UT-Permian Basin at the St. Mary's Classic on Friday night.  (Box Score)

The Cardinals (1-0) got on the board early after Melanie Padilla (San Antonio/Marshall HS) drove in Ashley Freeman (Canyon Lake/Smithson Valley HS) on an infield single in the first inning. 

Incarnate Word added three more runs in the third inning.  Freeman picked up an RBI on a line shot up the middle.  She later scored on a Monica Acuna (San Antonio/Holmes HS) double that landed just short of the left field wall.  The Cardinals finished up their rally when Acuna scored as Whitney Waltrip (Orangevale, CA/Casa Robles HS) reached base on an error. 

The Falcons (1-1) cut into the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning when they scored two runs.  Amber Gutierrez picked up the key hit for UTPB, a two-run single. 

UIW added their final run in the fifth inning as Acuna picked up her second RBI of the game on a single.  

Junior pitcher Whitney Waltrip pitched seven innings giving up just two runs on four hits to earn her first victory of the season.  Waltrip also recorded four strikeouts in the game.  Freeman was the offensive star of the game going 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. 

Tomie Ellard was dealt the loss for the Falcons.  She pitched 5.0 innings allowing eight hits, three earned runs and two walks while striking out three.

The Cardinals will continue action at the St. Mary's Classic tomorrow as they play Southeastern Oklahoma at 4 p.m. and Texas A&M-International at 6 p.m. at the SAISD Sports Complex in San Antonio. 
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