EL PASO, Texas – The final weekend of the University of the Incarnate Word softball team's nonconference schedule was a tough draw, dropping four games at the Orange and Blue Classic.

In the first game, the Cardinals fell, 14-0, to 11th-ranked Arizona State. The second game UIW fell to the University of Texas-El Paso by a score of 4-2. UIW's offense had the lead late but ultimately lost to Montana Saturday morning, 5-4. Saturday afternoon in the rematch with Arizona State, the Cardinals were not able to muster a comeback in a 9-2 tilt for the Sun Devils. 
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Game 1 vs. Arizona State
The Cardinals were unable to get the offense going in the first game of the day against the Sun Devils as they fell, 14-0, in six innings. Renee Hoffman and Tori Alvarez-Lopez were the only Cardinals to register a hit. 
 
Game 2 vs. UTEP
UTEP struck first in the bottom of the first with two runs on a couple of strung-together singles and an error on the Cardinals defense.
 
In the top of the second, a bases-loaded walk from Kendall McGary would score Hailey Jackson to put the Cardinals on the board. 
 
The bottom of the fourth saw the Miners add two more runs to their lead on a double that lead to two unearned runs.  
 
Although the Cardinals answered back with a run in the top of the fifth inning, the Miners would go on to win, 4-2.
 
Game 3 vs. Montana
Montana would score first in the bottom of the first inning on a single up the middle that would bring home two unearned runs and give the Griz the early 2-0 lead. 
 
The Cardinals got on the board in the top of the fourth inning when Savannah Behabetz doubled to left field to score Maddie Boldt. 
 
UIW had their first lead of the weekend after the top of the fifth inning where they scored three runs, highlighted by the first homerun for the Cardinals this season from McGary. 
 
Montana's offense was too much for the Cardinals, in the end, scoring three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning where they would go on to win 5-4. 
 
Game 4 vs. Arizona State
The Sun Devils' offense was too much for UIW in the rematch as they would strike first in the bottom of the second inning with six runs. The Cardinals defense kept ASU at bay until the bottom of the fourth and fifth inning where two runs would give ASU the run-rule win. 
 
 
UP NEXT
UIW hosts Stephen F. Austin in the first conference series of the season. The doubleheader starts at 5 p.m. Friday, with the final game being played at noon on Saturday. 
 
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.