SAN ANTONIO – The University of the Incarnate Word softball team ended its regular season in walk-off fashion on Saturday afternoon at H-E-B Field. The Cardinals defeated McNeese, 3-2 in an extra inning thriller to wrap up the series after McNeese took game one, 14-6, and game two, 3-1.
 
NOTABLES. 
 • Sophomore Annie Gunther improved to 7-8 with a win in game three.  
 • Game three's win was the second walk-off win for the Cardinals this season.  
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Game 1
The Cowgirls got out to an early start in game one, taking advantage of a Cardinals' defensive error and scoring two runs in the top of the frame.
 
McNeese added two more runs in the top of the third by way of a two-run home run to take a 4-0 lead.  
 
UIW offense put on a clinic in the bottom of the third inning. Abby Frank got the Cardinals started with an RBI single to right field to score Hailey Jackson. Then, freshman Catarina Esteves sent a no-doubter over the right field fence for a three-run home run, her first home run of her collegiate career. Maddie Boldt stepped in next at-bat and followed it up with a solo shot of her own as UIW took a 5-4 lead. 
 
The Cowgirls fired back with two runs of their own in the top of the fourth and McNeese capitalize on another error from the UIW defense to add another run to their lead.
 
Before the Cardinals offense could take the field, a weather delay would ensue. Two hours went by before the teams took the field again.
 
The delay was no issue for Boldt as she fired another solo shot, this time over the left field fence as UIW cut the McNeese lead to one. 
 
The Cowgirls offense would power through with four runs in the top half of the sixth inning and then three more in the top of the seventh. 

 The lead proved to be too big for the Cardinals and they fell, 14-6, in game one.

Game 2
The Cardinals broke it open first, in the bottom of the second inning Jackson fired a single through the infield to score a hustling Torres from second.
 
McNeese answered back with a run of their own in the top of the third.
 
A pitching duel between UIW's Ashley Trapp and McNeese's Tate Whitney rested in a locked score of 1-1 as we went to the eighth inning.
 
McNeese put up two runs in the top of the eighth and the Cardinals failed to make the comeback as they fell, 3-1, in game two of the series.
 
Game 3
In game three of the series, McNeese scored first in the first inning to make the score, 1-0 Cowgirls.
 
Kendall McGary got the Cardinals' offense going in the bottom of the fifth inning with a single to right field that scored pinch running, Madison Guillen from third. 
 
The Cowgirls offense put up another run in the sixth inning to break the 1-1 tie.
 
Behabetz tied the game back up with an infield single to score Torres, who got to third on a McNeese wild pitch. Both teams failed to score in the seventh, and we head to extras for the second time in the series.
 
Bottom of the ninth and Frank called game, she sent a double to left center to score Boldt from second and the Cardinals walk it off for the final game of the series.

UP NEXT
UIW will be back on the road and headed to. First pitch is slated for 2 p.m. CT. 
   
STAY TUNED 
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