SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – The University of the Incarnate Word baseball team opens their home schedule on Friday at 6:30 p.m. against visiting LIU-Brooklyn at Sullivan Field as part of a four-game series.

The Cardinals (2-5) have played in a pair of early season tournaments, but now start to hit the meat of their schedule.  Slade Brown (Keller/Keller HS) and Jesse Hoover (Marion/Marion HS) have been the hitting leaders for the team.  Brown is hitting .407 with five RBI's and a .556 slugging percentage while Hoover is hitting at a .393 clip with nine RBI's and .643 slugging percentage.  Overall, the team is hitting .236 and averaging 4.4 runs per game.

The projected starting rotation for the Cardinals includes:
LHP Dylan Boss (Boerne/Champion HS), 0-1, 7.20 ERA
RHP Geno Encina (San Antonio/Brandeis HS), 1-1, 2.45 ERA
RHP Alexis Garza (McAllen/McAllen HS), 0-1, 2.57 ERA
RHP Jacob Potts (Glendale, AZ/Browne HS), 0-1, 16.88 ERA
         
The Cardinals currently have a 7.80 ERA and have struck out 37 batters in 60 innings.  Matthew Decker (Hickory Creek/Lake Dallas HS) has been the top reliever for the team making four appearances with a 1-1 record and a 4.32 ERA.
         
The Blackbirds (0-4) lost their first four games of the season on the road at Lamar University.  They are hitting .257 as a team and average 2.5 runs per game.  Pete Leonello leads the team with a .389 batting average and two doubles.  John McAllister is hitting .375 with three stolen bases.
         
The projected starting rotation for the Blackbirds includes:
RHP Bobby Maxwell, 0-1, 4.50 ERA
RHP Brian Drapeau, 0-1, 11.25 ERA
RHP Chris Lacko, 0-1, 33.75 ERA
RHP Nick Freijomil, 0-1, 54.00 ERA
         
The Blackbirds have an 8.72 ERA and have struck out 18 batters in 32.0 innings.  Dustin Carlson and Skye Freeman have been the top two relief pitchers for the team.  Carlson has pitched 3.0 innings while allowing two hits and striking out four.  Freeman has tossed 2.0 scoreless innings of relief.
         
On Saturday, the team's will play a doubleheader starting at 1:00 p.m. and then they close out the series on Sunday with one game at 11:00 a.m.
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