SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – The University of the Incarnate Word baseball team played catch up all night long against visiting St. Edward's and came up short in a 7-6 loss at Sullivan Field on Tuesday. (Box Score)

The #21 Hilltoppers (25-11) never trailed in the game, but the Cardinals (21-15) came back from a 6-2 deficit to tie the game in the bottom of the eighth inning.  In the top of ninth, the Hilltoppers put the first two runners on base, but needed a two-out hit from Marshall Burford to score the go-ahead run.  The Cardinals put two runners on base in the bottom of the ninth, but were unable to tie the game.

The Hilltoppers jumped out to an early 3-0 lead, but the Cardinals closed to within a run heading into the fifth inning.  Derrick Walls (San Antonio/Reagan HS) walked with the bases loaded in the second inning.  Then, UIW added another run in the fourth inning.
St. Edward's scored three times in the fifth inning when Burford hit a three-run homer with two outs in the inning.  The Cardinals scored three times in the sixth inning.  Thomas Rinn (Cameron/Yoe HS) hit a run-scoring single and Adam Pena (Mission/Sharyland HS) had a two-out, two-run double to make it 6-5.

The Cardinals had 12 hits in the game.  Walls went 3-for-4 with two runs, two walks, an RBI and his 30th stolen base of the season.  Rinn and Pena each had two hits and drove in two runs while Blake Woosley (Corvallis, OR/Corvallis HS) went 2-for-4 with two runs scored.  Justin Kanas (New Braunfels/Canyon HS) took the loss on the mound, but pitched well going 2.2 innings allowing three hits, one run and one walk while striking out three.

The Hilltoppers had 14 hits in the contest with Cutter Runte going 4-for-5 to lead all players.  Burford was 2-for-4 with two runs, four RBI's and a home run.  Matt Davis earned the win after pitching 1.2 shutout innings of relief.

The Cardinals are back in action on Friday at 6 p.m. against Lone Star Conference rival Eastern New Mexico at home.
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