Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – The University of the Incarnate Word softball team got the Southland Conference season started in wonderful fashion with a doubleheader sweep of visiting Abilene Christian on Saturday at Cardinals Field.  UIW won the first game, 7-6 and the second game, 7-3.

"We are excited for the strong start we had on our first games in the Southland Conference," said UIW head coach Mandee Gamboa.  "Every skill our team has been working on came together today on the field, enabling us to win over a tough school like Abilene Christian."

The first game was a back-and-forth affair with four lead changes.  The Wildcats (10-17, 0-2) got on the board first when the scored on a passed ball in the first inning.  The Cardinals (13-15, 2-0) came back in the bottom of the third inning to take the lead.

UIW scored three times in the third.  They tied the game on a ground out by Shelby Waltrip (Orangevale, CA/Casa Robles HS) and then took the lead on a two-out, two-run single by Alex Zepeda (Sinton/Sinton HS).

ACU went back on top with a four-run fifth inning.  Courtney Flanary's two-run single was the big hit in the frame giving the Wildcats a 4-3 lead.  They tacked on an insurance run in the sixth inning on a run-scoring single by Ashley Nolan.

The Cardinals started their comeback in the bottom of the sixth.  Kellen Robles (San Antonio/Smithson Valley HS) drove in Taylor Johnson (Schertz/Clemens HS) with a triple.  In the bottom of the seventh inning, UIW rallied for a dramatic win.  Courtney Trevino brought in a run with a double and then tied the game on a bunt single by Danielle Ramirez.  Ramirez scored the winning run two batters later on a single by Robles.

Brooke DuBois earned the victory for the Cardinals allowing just one earned run in 5.2 innings of work while striking out five.  Robles led the offense with a 4-for-4 performance that included a triple and two RBI's.  Johnson was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and Zepeda was 2-for-4 with two RBI's.

Peyton Mosley was handed the loss after giving up a run in a third of an inning.  Paige Stevens went 2-for-3 at the plate with three runs and a walk.  Three other players each had two hits apiece.

The second game was not as dramatic.  The Cardinals scored three times in the bottom of the first inning and never trailed.  ACU pulled to within a run on two different occasions, but they were able to put the game away with three runs in the sixth inning.

Kristin Hebert notched the win for UIW with 5.2 strong innings of work.  She allowed five hits, three runs and a walk.  DuBois earned the save with 1.1 shutout innings of relief.

The Cardinals had 11 hits in the game for a second time in the doubleheader.  Johnson went 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored while Zepeda was 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI's.

Mosley was handed her second loss of the day.  She allowed 10 hits and six earned runs in 5.1 innings.  Nolan and Taylor Brown each had two hits and Brown also drove in two runs.

The Cardinals and Wildcats will play a final game on Sunday at noon at Cardinals Field.
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