SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – The University of Incarnate Word softball team could not overcome an eight run fourth inning by the University of North Texas (14-9, 0-3) as they would drop the non-conference matchup against the Mean Green, 10-2 on Tuesday afternoon at Cardinals Field.
           
Darianne Hale (Mesquite/Bishop Lynch HS) made her fifth start of the season in the pitching circle for UIW and she would end up going three innings while allowing two earned runs on three hits.  After a scoreless first inning by both teams, the Mean Green jumped on the board first after Kelli Schkade launched a homerun over the left field fence to give North Texas a 2-0 lead.
           
In the bottom of the third inning, the Cardinals (8-14) loaded the bases and Hale delivered a two-run single that tied the ballgame at 2-2. In the top of the fourth inning, Kristen Hebert (Humble/Atascocita HS) came in to replace Hale in the pitching circle and she struggled giving up five earned runs on three hits in just 0.2 innings. The Mean Green would go on to score eight runs in the inning to make the lead 10-2 midway through the fourth inning.
           
Jessica Rodriguez (Conroe/Oak Ridge HS) came in to finish the game in the pitching circle for UIW and she allowed three earned runs in 1.1 innings of work. At the plate, the Cardinals had eight total hits with Monique Miller (Hewitt/Midway HS), Victoria Bratcher (Colleyville/Colleyville Heritage HS) and Danielle Ramirez (San Antonio/Marshall HS) each had two hits.  Miller made her first start of the season for UIW from the leadoff spot and Ramirez returned to the lineup after missing the series with Northwestern State with a concussion.  Hale had the big hit for the Cardinals that scored the two runs.
           
The Mean Green tallied ten hits on the day and Schkade who went 2-for-3 with a homerun and three RBI from the leadoff spot.  Harley Perella and Rhylie Makawe each hit a homerun and collected two runs batted in.  In the pitching circle, Stacey Underwood picked up her sixth victory of the season after going 3.1 innings and allowing two earned runs on seven hits.
           
The Cardinals return to action tomorrow with a doubleheader against Prairie View A&M (3-10) and the first game is scheduled to start at 1 p.m. in Prairie View, TX.  
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