Box Score SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – In the first game of a three game set, the University of the Incarnate Word baseball team defeated visiting Southland Conference rival Northwestern State, 3-2 at Sullivan Field on Friday night.

The Cardinals (15-27, 6-10) fell behind 2-0 in the first three innings, but battled back for a nice win in a pitcher's duel between sophomore Geno Encina (San Antonio/Brandeis HS) and previously unbeaten Adam Oller for the Demons (25-21, 13-9).  Both pitchers went the entire game on the mound.  Encina improved to 6-6 after allowing five hits, one earned run and three walks while striking out two in 9.0 innings.  Oller allowed nine hits, two earned runs and one walk while striking out four in 8.0 innings.

The Demons scored an unearned run in the top of the second thanks to a pair of stolen bases by Nathan Lyons.  They took a 2-0 lead in the top of the third inning when Chase Daughdrill came through with a two-out, run-scoring single.

The Cardinals cut the lead in half in the bottom of the third inning.  Dustin Cole (Tomball/Tomball HS) led off with a single and was sacrificed to second.  Jason Stone (Georgetown/Georgetown HS) drove him in with a two-out single through the left side of the infield.  Two innings later, Stone came through with another two-out single to tie the game.

The Cardinals finally took the lead in the eighth inning.  After two outs, Ethan McGill (Penn Valley, CA/Nevada Union HS) reached on an error and advanced to second on a wild pitch.  Aaron Warren came on to pinch run and he came in to score when Jonathan Armijo (San Antonio/Highlands HS) cracked a double to left field.

Encina made the lead stand up with a 1-2-3 ninth inning to secure the win for the Cardinals.  Stone and McGill each had two hits for the team and Armijo had the only extra-base hit of the game.

The teams will meet on Saturday for a 3 p.m. start.
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