SAN ANTONIO- The University of the Incarnate Word softball team has had a hot start to the 2024 season. Posting the best start in program history since turning Division I in 2013, the Cardinals went 5-0 this weekend at the annual Cardinal Classic. In five games, UIW only played two seven innings, tallied three shutouts, and averaged six runs a game.  

The most exciting wins of the weekend came from the Cardinals' wins over Buffalo and Prairie View A&M. All three finished with walk-offs from Jillian Guiterrez, Marissa Espinoza, and Jasmine Contreras.  

Friday night's win against Buffalo was brought on by an explosive fifth inning effort from UIW. Already up 2-0 heading into the fifth, the Cardinals heated up their bats for a six-run bottom of the inning. With the bases loaded, Jasmine Sierra stepped up to the plate slamming a double into left center to bring home two runs. Baylee Lemons was next to the plate, again with loaded bases, and hit a single towards second to bring Sierra and Ryleigh Mata home, though Lemons was called out as she tried to make it to second. With two outs and a run-rule win at arm's length, Guiterrez came up to bat with Maddison Guillen on second. Guitterez hit a walk-off two-run home run, her first as a Cardinal, into center field for the win.  

The next morning UIW faced Buffalo again but this time it became an all-out battle. Buffalo took the lead first, up 2-1 after the first inning. UIW answered back in the second 5-2 and stretched it 7-2 in the fourth. Just as the Cardinals started to run away with it, the Buffalos took over and tied it up in the seventh, pushing the game into extra innings. UB went up by one and with their backs agaisnt the wall the Cardinals were up to bat. Britaney Shaw laid down a single for Aaliyah Garcia to run in for the tie. Junior Ryleigh Mata then laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance Bella Mitchell, pinch ran for Shaw, from first to second to put UIW in scoring position again. The freshman Marissa Espinoza stepped up and hit a single to right center and Mitchell came sprinting to the plate for the second walk off win.  

In the final game of the series, the Cardinals played PVAMU down to the wire. The Panthers tied it up in the top of the seventh to once again, have it come all down to the Cardinals at bat. With two outs and a runner on first, Contreras got up to the plate. The sixth batter in the order lined out an unbelievable double into left field and Jaisy Caceres, pinch runner for Shaw, ran in for the win. 

UIW will be back in action on Friday, February 16, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana at Soutern University's Defend the Bluff Tournament.  

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