SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – The University of the Incarnate Word softball team opened up their final home Southland Conference series against Sam Houston State with two losses at Cardinals Field on Friday. They dropped the first game, 1-0 and the second, 4-2.
            
The only run of the first game came in the top of the third inning when Jessica Slater hit a double for the Bearkats (17-26, 8-13) and advanced to third base on a fielder's choice. Sarah Allison then stepped up to the plate and hit sacrifice fly out to center field allowing Slater to run home and score.
            
The Cardinals (9-36, 3-20) had a chance to immediately level the game in the bottom of the third inning after Katie Helm (New Braunfels/Canyon HS) and Taylor Johnson (Schertz/Clemens HS) both hit singles to get on base.  Jill Guse (Pearland/Dawson HS) came into pinch run for Helm and made it to third base off of a sacrifice bunt by Monique Miller (Hewitt/Midway HS). With two outs, the Cardinals needed a base hit to bring the run home or load the bases, but the chance of scoring ended when Brooke DuBois (Pearland/Pearland HS) flied out to center field. 

Meme Quinn held the Cardinals scoreless through five innings.  Tayler Atkinson and Haley Baros combined to pitch the final two scoreless innings with Baros credited with the save.
           
In the second game, some changes to the lineup sparked an offensive drive for UIW and despite falling behind in the top of the second inning 1-0 they came back in the bottom to take the lead, 2-1. Christy Trevino (San Antonio/Brandeis HS) scored the first run after Anna-Marie Moore (Aloha, OR/Aloha HS) reached base on a fielder's choice bunt. The Bearkats were unable to get an out and instead allowed Trevino to get home.

Sam Houston State was not able to get out of the inning without allowing another run. A two-out single to center field from Kristen Hebert (Humble/Atascocita HS) allowed Moore to score on the throw, but the inning ended on the same play after Danielle Ramirez attempted to score but was tagged out at the home plate.

UIW was unable to maintain their lead as the Bearkats replied with a three-run inning in the top of the third that took the score to 4-2. Despite going two-up two-down, a wave of hits including two doubles, allowed them to take the lead.

Baros earned the win in the circle for Sam Houston, pitching six innings, allowing 10 hits and two runs. Atkinson was given the save after pitching the final inning.  Hebert took the loss for the Cardinals after pitching all seven innings and allowing eight hits and four runs.

Both teams will wrap up the series on Saturday starting at 12 p.m.
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