NACOGDOCHES, TX – The University of the Incarnate Word softball team completed the series sweep over Southland Conference foe Stephen F. Austin, winning Saturday's doubleheader by scores of 10-1 (5 inn.) and 5-0, from SFA Softball Field.

Incarnate Word improves to 22-10 overall with a 7-2 SLC mark, while Stephen F. Austin falls to 17-16 with a 2-7 League record.

HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME ONE)

• Incarnate Word put five runs on the board in the second inning to build a 5-0 lead, highlighted by an RBI double from junior Sydney Zenon with the bases loaded that brought three runs across home plate.
• Fellow junior Jaisy Ceceres had an RBI double in the second inning, and senior Victoria Altamirano drew a walk with the bases loaded to bring a runner home from third.
• The Lumberjacks scored their only run of the game in the bottom of the second inning.
• In the fifth inning, the Cardinals put another five-spot on the board as Altamirano and Zenon had back-to-back RBI doubles before an RBI single from Caceres moved the lead to 9-1.
• Senior Dominique Guerra put the Cardinals ahead by nine runs with an RBI double of her own in the inning before junior Ava Hernandez kept SFA scoreless in the bottom of the fifth to end the game via run rule.

HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME TWO)

• The series finale featured a pitcher's duel early on as Incarnate Word starter Samantha Portillo and Stephen F. Austin starter Amelia Hatthorn allowed a combined six hits across the game's first five innings of play.
• UIW's offense broke through in the sixth, scoring two runs on just one hit and two walks to build a 2-0 lead.
• Zenon recorded a sacrifice fly in the sixth for Incarnate Word's first run, followed by an RBI single from junior Bryanna Fuentes.
• The Cardinals added three insurance runs in the seventh inning as Altamirano hit her ninth home run of the year, a three-run blast on a 2-2 count, to move the UIW advantage to 5-0.

NOTES

• Hernandez (3-2) turned in a complete game performance in the first contest of the day, allowing just one run on five hits, while Portillo (3-2) earned the win in game two after surrendering just four hits with seven strikeouts in five innings inside the circle.
• Sophomore Jenny Robledo made her 14th appearance in the circle in game two, pitching two no-hit innings of relief with a strikeout.
• Zenon totaled three hits on the day, including two doubles, to go along with two runs scored and five RBI.
• Altamirano was 2-for-4 across the two games with a home run, four runs scored, five RBI and two walks.
• Sophomore Carmen Uribe had three hits of her own in the first game, while Fuentes was 3-for-4 in game two as seven different Cardinals had at least two hits in the doubleheader. 

UP NEXT
Incarnate Word will have a week to prepare for its next contest when the team travels to Lake Charles, La., next weekend for a three-game Southland series with McNeese State on Friday and Saturday.