SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – The University of the Incarnate Word will play a three-game Southland Conference baseball series this weekend against visiting Northwestern State.  The teams will play at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, 3:00 p.m. on Saturday and 1:00 p.m. on Sunday.

The Cardinals (14-27, 5-10) are coming off a 6-2 win over UT-Pan American on Tuesday night.  Junior outfielder Jesse Hoover (Marion/Marion HS) has been the main cog in the lineup.  He is riding a 17-game hitting streak and is hitting over .400 since April 1.  Overall, he is hitting .321 with 12 doubles, 32 RBI's and a .449 slugging percentage.  Ethan McGill (Penn Valley, CA/Nevada Union HS) has bounced back from an injury that sidelined him for 18 games and has been hitting well.  He had three hits on Tuesday and is now hitting .273 with a .406 on-base percentage.

UIW is scheduled to start Geno Encina (San Antonio/Brandeis HS) and Dylan Boss (Boerne/Boerne HS) in the first two games.  Encina is 5-6 with a 2.66 earned run average with 52 strikeouts in 74.1 innings.  Boss is 2-4 with a 4.53 earned run average and 40 strikeouts in 53.2 innings.

The Demons (25-20, 13-8) are hitting .264 as a team and have three regulars hitting over .300 for the season.  Caleb Dugas has the top batting average on the team at .307 to go with 32 runs and 12 doubles.  Chase Daughdrill is hitting at a .303 clip with a team high 35 RBI's.

The pitching staff has a 4.22 earned run average and has three shutouts.  Adam Oller will start the first game and is 5-0 with a 2.03 earned run average.  Josh Oller is slated for the second game and comes in with a 2-1 mark and a 3.07 ERA.  Austin Tanner is scheduled to start the finale and is 1-1 with a 2.88 ERA in 40.2 innings.
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