SAN ANTONIO- For the fourth time in four days of hosting tournaments this season, the University of the Incarnate Word softball team split their games. The Cardinals won the first game of the day against Grambling State 2-1 and then lost the follow-up game against Delaware 6-2 on Saturday at H-E-B Field.
 
NOTABLES

• Kendall McGary upped her hit streak to nine games as she finished with two hits in each game. She now has a team-high 13 hits on the season.
• Freshman Abby Frank finished the two games with four hits, including a triple to go with two RBI.
• It was another good day for Renee Hoffman, but this time it was on the mound as she led the Cardinals to a 2-1 victory over Grambling State. Hoffman pitched a complete game without allowing an earned run to go with seven strikeouts to earn her first win of the season.
• Junior Tori Alvarez-Lopez reached base four times on the day with three hits and a HBP.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Game 1 vs. Grambling State
The Cardinals were once again led by sophomore Renee Hoffman, only this time she was in the circle. The defense behind Hoffman was rock solid as they held the Tigers to only five hits.

The first inning started off like it was going to be a hitter's game as Grambling got on the board first to take an early 1-0 lead. Hoffman answered in the bottom half of the inning with her own RBI single to tie it up.

From then on, he game slowed to a crawl as the pitchers dueled it out. The only other run in the game came from an RBI single from senior Delaney Guzman, giving the Cardinals a 2-1 lead in the third inning.

Hoffman and the defense took it from there and didn't allow a single run the rest of the way. After the first inning, she only allowed three singles in three separate innings through the rest of the game.


Game 2 vs. Delaware
UIW outhit the Delaware in this battle but the Blue Hens had the timelier of the hits which ended up being the difference.

After two first-inning home runs from the Blue Hens, the Cardinals were on their way to answering as they had three hits in the bottom half of the first but were unable to capitalize. With runners on first and second with one out, Hoffman popped out to shortstop to make it two outs. Abby Frank came through with a single up the middle but Teanna Lucio was thrown out at the plate trying to score, ending the inning and the scoring threat.

The Cardinals were once again putting the pressure on in the bottom of the second after the Blue Hens went down 1-2-3 in the top half. UIW had runners on first and second with one out again but weren't able to cash in. They had four runners left on base after the first two innings.

Delaware found its swing in the fifth inning and scored four runs to take a 6-0 lead. With the deficit now up to six, UIW made an effort at a comeback. Once again, with runners on first and second with one out, Frank decided the third time was the charm as she tripled to right center to give the Cardinals some hope.

Unfortunately, the Cardinals weren't able to mount a comeback and the score remained 6-2 until the very end.

UP NEXT
The Cardinals get the week off before traveling to Louisiana to compete in the Mardi Gras Mambo hosted by Southeastern Louisiana. Their first game is  against Alcorn State at 3 p.m. (CT) on Friday, February 21.

STAY TUNED 
For the most up-to-date information on UIW Athletics, visit uiwcardinals.com, follow the Cardinals on Twitter @UIWAthletics and like UIW Athletics on Facebook. 
 
The UIW softball team is on Twitter at @UIWSoftball and Instagram at @uiwsoftball.