SAN ANTONIO, Texas – The University of the Incarnate Word softball team only managed a pair of hits in the Southland Conference opener against visiting HBU, but those two hits were effective, as the Cardinals took game one by a score of 2-1 Friday evening from Cardinals Field.

HOW IT HAPPENED

HBU (5-18 overall, 2-8 SLC) drew first blood with an unearned run in the top of the first. The first batter of the game, Heidi Jaquez, singled to right and advanced to third on a Cardinal (7-18, 3-7) error on the play. Three batters later, Kassie James singled home Jaquez for the game's first run.

UIW tied things up in the bottom of the second as Angel Villanueva hit a two-out blast to center field.

Delaney Guzman made up for her blunder in the first inning in a big way, as she smacked a no-doubter over the left field wall in the bottom of the fifth to put the Cardinals ahead, 2-1.

UIW starting pitcher, Sarah Leal, seemed to get stronger as the game went on, as she ended the contest striking out two of the final four batters.

Villanueva and Guzman each registered an RBI to lead the Cardinals. Leal went the distance, as she scattered five hits and allowed one unearned run, while walking one and striking out four.

Brooke Bushman went 2-for-2 to lead the Huskies. Freshman Jessica Patak went the distance in the tough loss in the circle, as she gave up just the two hits, two earned runs, zero walks, with four strikeouts.

UP NEXT

UIW and HBU conclude the three-game Southland Conference series with a doubleheader on Friday. First game is set for an 11 a.m. start, while game is scheduled for 1 p.m., or 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first contest.

STAY TUNED

The Cardinals head to Houston to play a doubleheader at Texas Southern on Tuesday, Apr. 3 beginning at 3 p.m. at Memorial Park.

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