It was a combination of new and old Friday afternoon as the University of the Incarnate Word baseball team took the field for the first time this season (thanks to last week's weather) for a doubleheader against Angelo State.
The old things came in the form of veteran players doing just what they did last year – Kirk Jewasko getting a win; Matt Roohan, Matt Flores, Steven Vidaurri and Jackson Woodruff getting hits; the Cardinals giving up a lead early and coming back late… all things the team did last season en route to an NCAA South Central Regional Tournament appearance.
The new things were the sight of new bats getting clutch hits; new pitchers getting their first starts (and victories); and the Cardinals competing in Lone Star Conference games, as it was the first baseball action UIW has had as a member of the LSC.
In the end, UIW won both games against the Rams, coming back to win 4-3 in the seven-inning opener and then run-ruling ASU, 14-4, in seven innings in game two. UIW is now 2-0 overall and 2-0 in conference play.
The first matchup pitted Incarnate Word's Jewasko (the all-conference and Heartland Conference Pitcher of the Year) against the ace on Angelo State's roster in TJ Bozeman. The junior from San Antonio gave up five hits to Bozeman's four and only struck out five Rams to Bozeman's 10 Ks, but lasted longer (five innings to 4 2/3), and won were it mattered – giving up just three runs to Bozeman's four.
The Cardinals trailed 3-1 in the bottom of the 5th inning when a three-run surge put UIW over the top thanks to some timely hits and an excellent bunt laid down by Matt Flores with two runners on to load the bases. With the bases loaded, Vidaurri cracked a long fly ball to center field for the sacrifice fly and then Roohan single into the outfield to score another running and tie the game at 3-3.
The game-winning run came after a wild pitch advanced runners to third and second and a walk loaded the bases for transfer third baseman Mike De la Rosa, who made contact and forced a poor throw by the ASU third baseman for an error and the opportunity for Matt Flores to reach home for the 4-3 lead.
Colin Carmody and Elroy Urbina pitched the sixth and seventh innings, respectively, with Urbina getting the save after getting through some initial trouble. Carmody faced four batters, giving up one hit and striking out one. Urbina faced four batters, gave up a hit and walked one, but got two strikeouts.
In game two, UIW, again, gave up an early 1-0 lead in the first inning, but tied it in the 2nd after Woodruff hit a double and scored on a fielder's choice a few batters later.
UIW pushed its lead to 6-1 in the fourth inning with a 5-run, 3-hit tear that was aided by two errors to start the inning off by Angelo State. But even after ASU closed the gap to 7-4 in the top of the sixth, Incarnate Word scored seven more runs on five hits aided, again, but two Rams errors.
With Angelo State unable to do anything offensively in the top of the seventh, the game ended on the 10-run rule.
Pitching transfer Jorge Guarneros pitched 5 innings and struck out 6 in 18 at-bats in his UIW debut for his first win. Also getting his first chance to pitch for the Cardinals was redshirt sophomore Zach Anderson, who pitched two innings and only gave up one run in his UIW debut.
Incarnate Word and Angelo State will play again on Saturday, starting out with a 9-inning Lone Star Conference game and then a 7-inning, non-conference game. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Sullivan Field.
