EL PASO, TEXAS – The University of the Incarnate Word softball team split the first day of a two-day series against the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). UIW fell in game one (8-0), but the Cardinals bounced back and took game two (8-7) at the Helen of Troy Softball Complex. 

"[I am] really proud of the girls' ability to take some of the positives from the first game and let it fuel them into the second game," said head coach Kimberly Dean. "We saw a really productive lineup 1-9 and had some amazing defensive plays. All in all, it was a solid team win and a great comeback. These girls keep trusting the process and believing in each other. We can't wait to get back on the field and end the series on a high note." 

NOTABLES 

• Maddie Boldt hit her eighth home run of 2022, the most by a Cardinal in the first three weeks of the season. The junior now has an .878 slugging percentage. 
• Avalon Sanchez recorded two more RBIs on the day. This brings her total to 19. Sanchez is currently number one in the Southland Conference standings for RBIs.  
• Kendall McGary registered her first career home run as a Cardinal. 
• UIW pitchers struck out 11 batters on the day, while the Cardinal offense totaled eight hits and eight runs. Maddie Boldt and Kendall McGary led UIW with two hits each.  
• Ashley Trapp led UIW in the circle with four strikeouts on the day to bring her season total to 34.

UIW 0, UTEP 8
The Cardinals fell to the Miners in game one of the series, 8-0. In the five-inning contest, UIW registered one hit. Natalie Myers started for the Cardinals before Ashley Trapp and Maddie Blake entered the circle to try and end the Miner offense, but UIW ultimately fell.

UIW 8, UTEP 7
The Cardinals had a dramatic change of momentum for game two. Avalon Sanchez sparked the Cardinal bats, tallying her first of two RBIs to give UIW a 1-0 lead.

Abby Frank registered an RBI double of her own in the top of the second to bring in Lauren Olivarri and extend the Cardinal lead to 2-0. Kendall McGary found her rhythm and knocked a home run over the center-field wall to extend the Cardinal advantage to 5-0 in the top of the third. 

UTEP added three runs to the board to cut the lead to 5-3 in the bottom of the third inning. Maddie Boldt stepped up to the plate and knocked a two-run home run to push the Cardinal advantage back to four (7-3). 

UIW registered two three-up-three-down innings to keep the edge heading into the seventh frame. Aaliyah Garcia's RBI single to right field increased the UIW lead to 8-3 heading to the final frame of the night. The Miners did not go out easily, using a grand slam to cut the lead to one, but the UIW defense stayed strong and clinched the game, 8-7, before UTEP could force extra innings.

UP NEXT 
UIW closes out the three-game series against UTEP on Sunday, March 6, at 1 p.m. CT. 

FOLLOW ALONG
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.   
Follow the team on Twitter @UIWSoftball and Instagram @uiwsoftball.