ABILENE, TEXAS – After losing two straight games on walk-off hits, the University of the Incarnate Word baseball team was able to hold on for a 9-8 win at Abilene Christian University on Saturday in Southland Conference action.

The game nearly got away from the Cardinals (20-31, 11-19) for a third straight day as the bottom of the ninth inning was an adventure.  After going up 9-7 in the top of the ninth inning on a two-run single by Jesse Hoover (Marion/Marion HS) the Cardinals retired the first two Wildcat (15-36, 13-17) batters in the bottom of the ninth.  Then, game 1 hero Heath Beasley singled, Taylor Fajardo walked and Alex Copeland singled in a run and moved to second on the throw home.  UIW head coach Danny Heep called for Chris Jones (Hallettsville/Hallettsville HS) from the bullpen and he was able to strike out Colton Hall to end the game and notch his first save of the season.

The game went back-and-forth with the Cardinals scoring single runs in the first and second innings and the Wildcats in the first and third innings.  In the fourth inning, UIW scored four times using five hits and three doubles, including a two-run double from Hoover and an RBI double by Aaron Warren (Schertz/Wagner HS) to take a 6-2 lead.

The Wildcats scored an unearned run in the fourth and then scored twice in the fifth and sixth innings.  They tied the game at 7-7 on a two-out single by Aaron Draper in the sixth.  That set the stage for an exciting ninth inning that finally went the Cardinals way.

The Cardinals pounded out 17 hits in the contest, including six extra base hits.  Colton Besett (Cedar Park/Vista Ridge HS) cracked his team high sixth home run of the season and went 3-for-4 at the plate.  Hoover was 2-for-4 with a season high four RBI's.  Warren was 3-for-5 with a run and an RBI.  Every player in the lineup had at least one hit.

UIW used seven pitchers in the game.  John Shull (San Antonio/Churchill HS) started and went 4.0 innings allowing three hits, three runs, one earned run and a walk while striking out two.  Adam Hunter (Yoakum/Yoakum HS) and Cody Richey (Comfort/Comfort HS) each pitched a shutout inning of relief with Richey credited with the victory.

The Wildcats finished with 12 hits and five stolen bases in the game.  They had five players with two hits apiece, including Tyler Eager who smacked a home run.  Jordan Forrester was 2-for-2 with a walk and two stolen bases.  Ladgie Zotyka took the loss after allowing two runs without recording an out in relief.

The Cardinals close out the season next week when they travel to Omaha for a three-game series.
####
pr15343smm