SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – The University of the Incarnate Word baseball team dropped their Southland Conference opener to Southeastern Louisiana, 5-3 Friday night, in a home game played away from home at St. Mary's Dickson Stadium.

Field conditions at Sullivan Field forced the Cardinals to move the game to Dickson Stadium, but will be back at home for the remainder of the series. They start a doubleheader at Sullivan Field on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.

The Lions (11-4, 1-0 SLC) opened the scoring in the top of the second inning when Chris Eades singled to right center and brought in Carson Crites. Garret Cooper (Round Rock/McNeil HS) then got out of a bases loaded jam striking out Kevin Carr looking to get out of the inning with minimal damage.  Cooper was able to get out of two other jams by inducing inning-ending double plays.

Ryan Byers then gave the Lions a 3-0 lead with his first career homerun, a two-run shot to left field in the top of the fourth. Designated hitter, Daniel Midyett led the Lions with three hits and also scored a run for Southeastern Louisiana.  Tate Scioneaux earned the win for the Lions by limiting the Cardinals (6-8, 0-1 SLC) to four hits, two runs, two walks and eight strikeouts in seven solid innings of work.  Mason Klotz struck out the side in the ninth to earn the save.

Christian Divelbiss (Yuba City, CA/Yuba City HS) put the Cardinals on the board in the bottom of the fourth with an RBI single to right field that brought in Austin Hoffman (Goodyear, AZ/Millenium HS) who had led the inning off with a double to left center field.  Divelbiss ended the game with a 2-for-4 night, bringing in two of UIW's three runs. Jesse Hoover (Marion/Marion HS) also collected two hits in the loss, including a triple down the right field line in the first inning.

The Cardinals made it a game in the bottom of the eighth when they scored two runs with the help of a passed ball, but left the two tying runs on base to end the inning.
"We had opportunities," UIW head coach Danny Heap said. "We had guys in scoring position but couldn't get them in. You have to do those little things right and tack on runs to win on Friday nights."

The Cardinals collected seven hits, three runs and committed three errors while the Lions scored five runs on 12 hits and one error.

Cooper took the loss for UIW, but pitched six strong innings allowing seven hits, only one earned run (two unearned), while striking out five and walking four. Geno Encina (San Antonio/Brandeis HS) pitched two scoreless innings in relief allowing only two hits and striking out two.
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