Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 THIBODAUX, LOUISIANA – The University of Incarnate Word softball team was unable to avoid the series sweep on Saturday afternoon against Southland Conference opponent Nicholls as they dropped both games of the doubleheader, 5-0 and 5-2.
           
In the first game of the day, the Cardinals (14-26, 5-13) accumulated seven total hits, but they could not push a run across the plate leaving eight runners on base. Nicholls scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning to set the tone for the game and they would add one more run in the third inning for a 3-0 lead. The Colonels finished the scoring in the bottom of the fifth inning by adding two more runs to make the final score 5-0.
           
Darianne Hale (Mesquite/Bishop Lynch HS) made her eighth start of the season in the pitching circle and she went the full six innings allowing five runs on ten hits. Hannah Haydel got the start for the Colonels and she went four innings while only giving up four hits and striking out seven batters for her 15^th victory of the season.
           
Daniellle Ramirez (San Antonio/Marshall) and Shelbi Swenson (Elgin/Elgin HS) led the Cardinals with two hits each, but the team could not overcome nine strikeouts for the game.  For Nicholls, both Amanda Gianelloni and Veronic Villafranco went 3-for-3 with two RBI's each.
           
The second game went much like the first for UIW as the team struggled at the plate and struggled to come up with timely hits. Once again, Nicholls jumped out to an early lead by scoring a run in the bottom of the first inning on a homerun by Gretchen Morgan to make the score, 1-0.  In the bottom of the third inning, the Colonels pushed two more runs across the plate to take a 3-0 advantage over the Cardinals.  Nicholls continued the scoring with two more runs in the fifth inning, but the Cardinals did get two runs in the top of the seventh inning when Samantha Mendoza (Fresno, CA/ Washington Union) hit a two run homer to left field to score Swenson making the final score 5-2 in favor of the Colonels.
           
Jessica Rodriguez (Conroe/Oak Ridge HS) got the start in the second game for UIW and she went 4.0 innings while giving up four earned runs on six hits.  Bridget Stein (Brenham/Brenham HS) finished the final 2.0 innings giving up one earned run on three hits. Megan Landry made the start for Nicholls and she picked up her 12^th win of the season after allowing one earned run on just four hits.
           
The Cardinals had five hits for the game and they left six runners on base. Mendoza led the Cardinals with three hits including the big two run homer. Villafranco led the Colonels with two hits and two RBI's.

The Cardinals continue the season on Wednesday with a double header against cross town rival UTSA starting at 5:00 P.M. at Roadrunner Field.
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