SAN ANTONIO, TX – The University of the Incarnate Word softball team belted seven home runs across two games to sweep a doubleheader, 10-1 (5 inn.) and 11-7 over Texas A&M - Corpus Christi in the Southland Conference opener at Cardinals Field.

HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME ONE)

• After Corpus Christi scored a run in the top of the first, Incarnate Word responded with three runs in the second inning on a two-run home run from sophomore Kennedy Hill and an RBI single by fellow sophomore Carmen Uribe.
• The Cardinals moved their lead to 6-1 with a three-run third inning, using a solo home run from junior Sydney Zenon, an RBI double from fellow junior Aynsli Lawson and an RBI single from Hill to extend the advantage.
• In the fourth inning, a two-RBI single from junior Bryanna Fuentes and a two-RBI double from Lawson put UIW ahead by nine runs, sealing the run-rule victory as senior Bella Mitchell (5-3) pitched a perfect fifth inning in the circle.
• Mitchell earned her fifth win of the season with a complete game two-hitter, allowing just one run with a strikeout on 65 total pitches.

HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME TWO)

• The Islanders opened game two with three runs in the first inning of play before UIW tied the score at 3-all in the third.
• Lawson hit a solo home run to left in the second inning, followed by back-to-back home runs from senior Victoria Altamirano and Zenon in the third inning of play.
• Corpus Christi moved ahead 4-3 with a run in the fourth; however, the Cardinals answered with four runs of their own in the inning, including a solo home run from sophomore Prisais Quintero and a three-run bomb from junior Erin Perez.
• After TAMCC brought a run home in the fifth, Incarnate Word extended its lead to 11-5 with four runs across the fifth and sixth innings. Perez added an RBI double in the sixth, followed by an RBI triple from Hill.
• A two-run home run from the Islanders in the seventh continued the slug fest, but it was too little, too late to overcome the Cardinals' lead.

NOTES

• Lawson was 2-for-3 in game one with two doubles, two runs scored, and three RBI, as Hill was also 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBI of her own.
• In game two, Lawson was a perfect 2-for-2 with a home run, a run scored, and two RBI, while Fuentes was 3-for-4 at the plate.
• Perez was also 2-for-2 in the second game of the day, finishing with a double, a home run, two runs scored, and four RBI.
• Sophomore pitcher Jenny Robledo (3-0) tallied the win in game two after pitching 5.1 innings of the bullpen with three strikeouts.

UP NEXT
The Cardinals and Islanders conclude the three-game series tomorrow with a single game at Noon in San Antonio.