HOUSTON -- The University of the Incarnate Word softball team makes the short trip to Houston on Friday for the University of Houston Challenge, featuring matchups against Kennesaw State, Houston and Northern Illinois.
The Cardinals will play a total of five games in three days in the tournament, which concludes Sunday morning.
SCHEDULE
Kennesaw State, Friday, 2/22/19, 1 p.m..
Houston, Friday, 2/22/19, 3:30 p.m.
Kennesaw State, Saturday, 2/23/19, 10:30 a.m.
Northern Illinois, Saturday, 2/23/19, 1 p.m.
Northern Illinois, Sunday, 2/24/19, 9:30 a.m.
FOLLOW ALONG
Live Stats
THE OPENING PITCH
The Cardinals (0-5) are looking for their first win of the 2019 season after a tough showing in Louisiana.
JENNA FROM THE BLOCK
Facing elite competition, sophomore catcher Jenna Bleiberg didn't back down in the team's first action of 2019, hitting .400 in 10 at-bats. She also recorded a perfect fielding percentage, tallying 13 putouts behind the plate with no errors. Bleiberg is leading the team in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage and OPS, early in the season.
ANGEL IN THE INFIELD
Senior second baseman/shortstop Angel Villanueva has been driving the ball well to open up the 2019 season. She leads the team with two extra-base hits and is second on the team in slugging percentage at .385. She's currently the only Cardinal with a stolen base after one weekend of action.
KEEPING IT FRESH
Renee Hoffman became the second true freshman to start at pitcher on Opening Day in as many years under coach
Joe DiPietro, and in her first appearance went six innings without surrendering a walk against Fordham. She also retired 12 of the last 15 hitters she faced, while recording a base hit in her first career at-bat in the same game.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
UIW faces off against Kennesaw State in the tournament opener Friday at 1 p.m. The Owls are 2-7 after the first two weekends of play and had lost six straight before shutting out Chattanooga, 7-0, in their most recent matchup. The Cardinals will play the Owls a second time on Saturday at 10:30 a.m.
Next, UIW will take on tournament host Houston in the second part of Friday's doubleheader, which will be streamed live on the Cougars website. Houston went 1-2 to start the season against three nationally ranked teams and have won three of their last four contests to push their record to 5-5.
Finally, the Cardinals will battle Northern Illinois in the second half of Saturday's doubleheader and again Sunday at 10:30 a.m. to close out the tournament. The Huskies are the only team with a winning record heading into the tournament at 6-4, having won two out of their last three matchups.
STAY TUNED
Be sure to follow the Cardinals this weekend on Twitter @UIWSoftball and visit uiwcardinals.com for post game stories recapping the day's action.
