CANYON, TEXAS – The University of the Incarnate Word softball team begins their defense as the Lone Star Conference Tournament champions on Friday at 11:30 a.m. against Angelo State at Schaeffer Park on the campus of West Texas A&M.

The Cardinals (30-23) took 2-of-3 from the Rambelles (34-15) during the regular season on April 6-7 in San Angelo.  The Belles won the first game, 4-3 while the Cardinals took the next two games, 3-0 and 1-0.  UIW is currently ranked No. 8 in the South Central Region while Angelo State is No. 6.

The Cardinals are hitting .296 as a team and have five players hitting over .300 on the season.  Senior third baseman Monica Acuna, an LSC First Team selection, is hitting .388 with 16 doubles, four homers and 36 runs batted in.  Sophomore designated hitter Victoria Silva (San Antonio/Brandeis HS) is hitting at a .378 clip and leads the team with a .488 on-base percentage.  UIW will rely upon senior pitcher Briana Sanchez (San Antonio/Marshall HS), a first team choice as well, who is 17-12 with a 2.45 ERA, four shutouts and 198 strikeouts on the season.

The Belles are hitting .312 as a team and have four players hitting at least .369 on the season.  Morgan Spearman leads the team with a .387 batting average, nine home runs and 39 RBI's while Lauren Smith is hitting .373 with 14 doubles, seven homers and 44 RBI's.  Sandra Serna is the team's top pitcher with a 21-5 record, 2.99 ERA and four shutouts in 157.0 innings.

An all-festival pass, which includes admission to the baseball and track & field championships, will be $25 for adults and $10 for youth.  Single day passes are $15 for adults and $6 for youth.  All seats are considered general admission and are on a first-come, first-serve basis.

For fans that can't make it out to the games, all of the tournament action will be broadcast online via a free live webcast. The webcast will include both video and audio with viewers needing only a computer with a high-speed DSL or cable modem connection to the internet.  The webcasts will be carried on www.foxsportssouthwest.com.
####
pr13321smm