SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – The University of the Incarnate Word baseball team will host long-time rival St. Edward's on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Sullivan Field.

The Cardinals (9-1) did not play this past week, but moved up in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association South Central Region Poll from #4 to #2.  The Hilltoppers (9-4) remained at #3 in the region poll.  UIW is ranked #17 in the d2baseballnews.com and Collegiate Baseball Newspaper national Division II polls.

The Cardinals are hitting .338 as a team and average 8.3 runs per game.  Adam Pena (Mission/Sharyland HS) leads the team with a .440 batting average and has driven in nine runs and posted a .583 on-base percentage.  Shortstop Derrick Walls (San Antonio/Reagan HS) is hitting .421 with 14 runs, 11 stolen bases and nine RBI's while third baseman Ryan Pudwell (Lodi, CA/Lodi HS) is hitting .419 with a team high 10 RBI's.

The Cardinals boast a 3.47 team earned run average and are striking out more than a batter per inning.  Alexis Garza (McAllen/McAllen HS) is 3-0 with a 0.53 ERA and 25 strikeouts in 17.0 innings.  Dylan Boss (Boerne/Boerne HS) and Geno Encina (San Antonio/Brandeis HS) are each 2-0 on the season.

The Hilltoppers are hitting .306 as a team and they have a 3.26 ERA.  CJ Manning has been the team's top hitter through the first few weeks of the season hitting .471 with 10 runs batted in.  Brannon Easterling leads the pitching staff with a 2-1 record, 2.89 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 28.0 innings.
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