LAS CRUCES, NEW MEXICO – The University of the Incarnate Word baseball team scored five times in the first two innings en route to a 6-4 win at New Mexico State on Friday night.

The Cardinals (5-6) prevented the Aggies (0-9) from picking up a win in their home opener.  UIW scored three times in the first inning.  Mark Whitehead (San Antonio/Johnson HS) doubled to lead off the game and then scored on Jesse Hoover's (Marion/Marion HS) single to center field.  Austin Hoffman (Goodyear, AZ/Millenium HS) followed with a two-run homer to left field.  In the second inning, Matt Morris (Scottsdale, AZ/Saguaro HS) hit a two-out, two-run double to make it 5-0 UIW.

UIW starting pitcher Garret Cooper (Round Rock/McNeil HS) cruised through the first four innings, but then ran into trouble in the fifth.  He walked in a run with the bases loaded and gave up a pair of run-scoring singles by Quintonn Mack and Joseph Koerper before getting out of the inning.  Two of the runs were unearned.

UIW head coach Danny Heep brought in Trevor Hardee to pitch the sixth inning and never had to take him out.  Hardee scattered three hits and never let a runner get to second base as he pitched the final 4.0 innings without allowing a run and striking out three.  Hardee earned his first save of the year while Cooper improved to 3-0 on the season after allowing three hits, two earned runs and four walks while striking out six in 5.0 innings.

The Cardinals had 11 hits in the contest led by Whitehead's 3-for-4 performance that included a walk, run and an RBI.  Hoffman went 2-for-4 with a home run, two RBI's and a stolen base.

The Aggies had six hits in the game and drew four walks.  Mack drove in two runs while Jake Hasbrouck had a pair of hits.  Riley Barr took the loss after allowing nine hits, six runs and two walks while striking out five in 5.2 innings.

The teams have two more games left in the series with each starting at 2:05 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
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