In Saturday's Lone Star Conference doubleheader in San Angelo, Texas, the Incarnate Word baseball team rebounded from a loss in game one, 8-3, with a 5-3 victory in game two.
The Cardinals improve to 8-10 overall and 3-4 in the LSC with one more LSC game to be played on Sunday at the Rams' stadium before heading home to San Antonio.
In game one, the score was tied 3-3 going into the eighth inning after seven solid innings of work by Jorge Guarneros, who struck out just two opponents, but allowed just three runs (two earned) in 21 batters faced.
In the bottom of the 6th inning, however, Angelo State scored five runs – much like they did in Friday night's series-opener in the game's 8th inning – to break the 3-3 tie and take control of the game, 8-3.
After the loss, UIW bounced back in game two, fighting from behind to tie the score at 3-3 when another big inning occurred – this time in the Cardinals' favor.
After Derrick Walls was hit by a pitch to lead off the top of the 7th, he was advanced into scoring position thanks to a sacrifice bunt by Hector Flores. From there, a sacrifice fly would have likely scored UIW's speedy right fielder – but Jordan Littlefield was able to do something a little more beneficial to the cause and hit a two-run homer to put Incarnate Word up, 5-3.
ASU would be unable to respond in their last three outs of the seven-inning contest and Incarnate Word snapped a three-game losing skid.
Marc Gomez got his second win in as many games, improving his record to 2-0, with a seven-strikeout, six-hit outing that lasted the entire contest.
UIW will attempt to split the four game series on Sunday with a victory, giving both squads two victories over the weekend.
Next weekend, the Cardinals will be on the road yet again in a four-game series at Tarleton State.
