SAN ANTONIO -- The University of the Incarnate Word softball team is set to take on Sam Houston State in what should be an exciting ending to the home season. First pitch is slated for 5 p.m. to open up Friday's doubleheader and the series finale will start at noon Saturday.

FOLLOW ALONG
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THE OPENING PITCH
The Cardinals (4-37, 2-19 SLC) are looking to get back in the win column Tuesday against the Bearkats (26-19, 17-4), who have won their last 10 games.

HOPE'S HEATING UP

• Senior first baseman Hope Sobolewski has been a regular on the base paths of late, reaching base in five straight games and putting together a three-game hitting streak
• She leads the team with eight multiple hit games (including two 4-hit games) and three multi-RBI games
• Sobolewski is putting together a great senior campaign, leading all qualified hitters on the team in batting average (.277) slugging percentage (.495) on-base percentage (.348), doubles (five) and home runs (five).
• In the month of April, Sobolewski is batting .344 with two doubles, two grand slams and 10 RBIs.

DUAL THREAT

• Freshman pitcher Renee Hoffman has been hitting well, particularly in games when she pitches.
• The Michigan product is batting .293 with a double, home run, three RBIs and three runs scored in games that she starts in the circle.
• In her most recent outing against UTSA, Hoffman went five innings before surrendering her first run of the game. She finished the contest with 6.2 innings pitched, three earned runs on just four hits, and three strikeouts.
• She also recorded the team's only RBI of the game on a sacrifice fly.

ANGEL'S APRIL

• Senior shortstop Angel Villanueva has put together a strong month in April, batting .236/.361/.500 with a double, three home runs, four walks, nine RBIs and five runs scored.
• Villanueva is second on the team in home runs (4) and third on the team in RBIs (11).
• The senior leads the team in stolen bases with 10.

SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
Sam Houston State enters the series ranked second in the SLC standings and winners of 10 straight. Tiffany Thompson leads the Bearkats with a .317 batting average to go with 11 doubles, two triples, five home runs and 24 RBIs. Lindsay McCleod is one of the top pitchers in the conference, posting a 16-7 record and a 1.55 ERA to go with her 169 strikeouts, good for second in the SLC.

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.