SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – Matt Morris (Scottsdale, AZ/Saguaro HS) came up clutch for the University of the Incarnate Word baseball team as he hit a 2-run walk-off double to give the Cardinals a 3-2 win over Southland Conference rival Houston Baptist and tie the series 1-1 on Saturday at Sullivan Field.

The Cardinals (10-15, 2-6) found themselves down 2-1 in the bottom of the ninth, but Brance Kahle (Colleyville/Grapevine Faith HS) led the inning off with a single to left field.  Aaron Warren (Schertz/Wagner HS) then came in to pinch run representing the tying run. After the first out of the inning, Trey Rodriguez (Corpus Christi/Carroll HS) collected his third hit of the ball game with a line drive to left field to put the winning run on base. With two outs and an 0-1 count, Morris hit a breaking ball down the right field line that scored Warren and Blake Woosley (Corvallis, OR/Philomath HS), a pinch runner, to give the Cardinals their second win in conference play.

"I just wanted to make contact," Morris said. "He threw two curveballs to start the previous at bat, so I was just sitting on that off-speed pitch and he threw it and I was able to hit it."

Morris had all three UIW RBI's on the day with two doubles; one in the first inning and one in the last. In his first start of the series, Rodriguez had a terrific ballgame with three hits and five assists at second base. Braden Martin (Andrews/Andrews HS) got the start at center field and finished the game 1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored.

Trevor Hardee (Alvord/Alvord HS) pitched a scoreless ninth and took the win, his second of the year, although starter Garret Cooper (Round Rock/McNeil HS) deserves a great deal of credit as well. Cooper struggled through with his command in the first few innings, but once he found a grove he was untouchable. In fact, he retired 10 batters in order to finish his afternoon. He hurled eight innings, allowing four hits, two earned runs, walking five and striking out five. Four of his five strike outs came in his last three innings of work, but left the game trailing 2-1.

"He fought his way back," UIW head coach Danny Heep said about Cooper's performance. "He was able to get out of some jams with runners on base. He kept us in the ballgame and we just needed someone to come up with a big hit and this time it was Morris who had all three RBI's."

For the Huskies (14-12, 5-3), Greg Espinosa led the way with a 3-for-3 game and an RBI. Brandon Morones was 0-for-2, but walked twice and came around to score both times. Matthew McCollough was in line to get the win after a great outing. McCollough pitched 7.1 innings, scattering six hits, one run, walking three and striking out five. Chris Garza, who had only allowed one run all season, allowed the two runs to score in the bottom of the ninth and got tabbed with the blown save and the loss.

UIW outhit the Huskies nine to five and committed two errors, while HBU had no errors on the day.

The Cardinals and Huskies will meet for the rubber game of the series Sunday at 1:00 p.m. at Sullivan Field.
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