LAREDO, TEXAS – The University of the Incarnate Word softball team traveled to Texas A&M-International for a doubleheader on Wednesday and the teams split a pair of games.  Both games were not decided until the seventh inning with the Cardinals winning the first, 8-6 and the Dustdevils taking the second, 5-4. (Game 1, Game 2)

In the first game, the Cardinals (23-14) scored five times in the top of the third inning.  They took advantage of two errors and had three doubles in the inning. 

The Dustdevils gradually mounted a comeback.  They scored a run in the third and another in the fourth inning.  In the fifth inning, TAMIU tied the game thanks to an error by the Cardinals.

The Cardinals reclaimed the lead in the seventh inning.  Alex Zepeda (Sinton/Sinton HS) reached on a one-out error and then UIW followed with two hits and a walk giving the team a 6-5 lead.  With two outs, Alex Yarbrough (Boerne/Boerne HS) cracked a single up the middle to drive in two runs and give the team a three run lead.  In the bottom half of the inning, the Dustdevils scored a run with two outs, but Whitney Waltrip (Orangevale, CA/Casa Robles HS) was able to strike out the next batter to secure the victory.

Waltrip pitched the final 2.2 innings allowing three hits, one run and one walk while striking out three to pick up her ninth win of the year.  The Cards had 13 hits in the game.  Monica Acuna (San Antonio/Holmes HS) went 3-for-5 with two runs, two RBI's and an RBI.  Yarbrough, Zepeda and Ashley Freeman (Canyon Lake/Smithson Valley HS) each had two hits in the game.

The loss went to Salina Mitchell who allowed eight hits, three unearned runs and two walks while striking out five in 4.1 innings.  Mitchell also went 3-for-4 at the plate with a double and an RBI.

The second game was another tight game.  Each team scored in the first and third innings, but the Cardinals only scored once in each frame while the Dustdevils scored twice in each frame.

The Cardinals tied the game in the top of the sixth inning.  Zepeda led off the inning with a walk and that was followed by a single from Yarbrough.  Shelby Waltrip (Orangevale, CA/Casa Robles HS) brought in the first run with a squeeze bunt.  Taylor Johnson (Schertz/Clemens HS) tied the game with a two-out single up the middle.

In the seventh inning, the Cardinals went down in order, but the Dustdevils would not go out so easily.  Cassie Garcia led off the inning with a double and advanced to third on a wild pitch.  After one out, Esme Gonzalez singled in the game-winning run.  She finished the game 3-for-3 with two RBI's.  Garcia and Chelsea Capello each went 3-for-4 in the game.  Mariena Gallardo pitched the final 3.0 innings to earn the win.

Waltrip pitched a complete game for the Cardinals, but took the loss.  Acuna scored twice while Victoria Silva (San Antonio/Brandeis HS) and Kim Hanson (Devine/Devine HS) each had two hits.

The Cardinals are back in action on April 5 at Angelo State at 7 p.m.
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