SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – The University of the Incarnate Word baseball team entered Friday's doubleheader with Texas A&M-Kingsville with a chance to move ahead of the Javelinas in the Lone Star Conference standings, but the visitors put an end to that with a pair of victories, 16-6 and 2-0 at Sullivan Field. (Game 1, Game 2)

In the first game, the Javelinas (33-15, 16-10) scored two unearned runs in the top of the first inning and never looked back.  They led 3-1 heading to the top of the fourth inning when they scored four times.  Three more runs in the sixth inning made it 10-1.

The Cardinals (26-22, 12-14) rallied in the bottom of the seventh inning.  Three of the first four batters reached base and then Jordan Scelfo (Tucson, AZ/Salpointe HS) came through with a two-out RBI single and Lukas Miller (Boise, ID/Timberline HS) followed with a two-run double to cap off the five run inning.

The Javelinas came right back scoring six times in the top of the eighth inning.  Matt Perez cracked a three-run double and James Wallace had a two-run single to do most of the damage.  The Cardinals were unable to score in the bottom of the eighth and the result was a run-rule win for Kingsville.

Dylan Boss (Boerne/Boerne HS) took the loss for the Cardinals after allowing six hits, five earned runs and five walks in 4.0 innings while striking out four.  Miller was the only player on the team with more than one hit in the game as the team finished with eight hits, although they also drew nine walks.  The Cardinals committed four errors as a team on defense.

The Javelinas pounded out 14 hits and had five extra base hits.  Taylor Taska, Ryan Guedry and Perez each had two hits and drove in three runs.  Dallas Ponder improved to 9-0 on the season allowing three hits, eight walks and a run while striking out eight in 6.0 innings.  Weston Silverburg picked up the save after retiring the final four batters of the game.

The second game was the opposite of the first game as UIW's Alexis Garza (McAllen/McAllen HS) and A&M-Kingsville's Cody Williams engaged in a pitcher's duel.  The two teams combined for a total of two runs, 10 hits and only one error.

The Javelinas broke through on the scoreboard in the top of the third inning.  Joe Tallerine hit an opposite field triple with one out and scored on Ben Villafuerte's single to right field.  Garza worked in and out of trouble most of the night against the Javelinas, but stranded eight runners in scoring position to keep the game close.

The Cardinals run into some strong Javelina defense in the fifth inning.  Derrick Walls (San Antonio/Reagan HS) came to bat with two outs and two runners on base.  He hit a slicing line drive to left field that Julian Duran made a diving catch on to keep the Cardinals scoreless.

In the sixth inning, Thomas Rinn (Cameron/Yoe HS) led off with a walk and then stole second base for the Cardinals.  After a sacrifice bunt moved him to third base, Williams was removed from the game and Jeremy Flores entered as the relief pitcher for the Javelinas.  He promptly struck out the first two batters he faced to end the inning.

The Javelinas added an insurance run in the top of the seventh inning when Perez came through with a two-out single to score Villafuerte.  Flores walked a batter in the bottom of the seventh, but was able to close out the game with a pair of strikeouts to earn the save.  Williams improved to 5-3 after allowing three hits and two walks while striking out five in 5.1 innings.

Garza dropped his first game of the season and is now 6-1 for the Cardinals.  He allowed seven hits, two runs and three walks while striking out three in a complete game.

The teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday at 1 p.m. to close out the regular season for each squad.
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