SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – The University of the Incarnate Word baseball team snapped a four-game losing streak on Tuesday night at Sullivan Field with a 6-5 win over visiting UT Rio Grande Valley in rainy conditions.
The Cardinals (6-19) came back from a 4-2 deficit in the bottom of the seventh inning with a dramatic rally. With two outs,
Eddy Gonzalez (Laredo/United HS) and
Austin Hoffman (Goodyear, AZ/Millenium HS) hit back-to-back singles and moved up an extra base on a balk.
Brance Kahle (Colleyville/Grapevine Faith HS) followed with a bases clearing double that tied the game. He later scored the go-ahead run on a double down the left field line by
Braden Martin (Andrews/Andrews HS).
UIW added an insurance run in the eighth inning. Hoffman drove in
Ryan Gonzalez (Corpus Christi/Carroll HS) with a two-out triple to right-center. It was a much needed run since the Vaqueros (10-11) who scored a run in the top of the ninth and had runners on second and third with two outs, but
John Shull (San Antonio/Churchill HS) was able to close out the game to earn his first save of the year.
The visitors jumped out to an early 1-0 lead on a solo home run by Scott Mercer in the second inning. The Cardinals claimed a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Christian Divelbiss (Yuba City, CA/Yuba City HS) came through with a two-out double down the left field line to score Kahle and
Tanner Wall. UTRGV regained the lead in the fifth inning on RBI singles by Joseph Collazo and Mercer. Mercer drove in his third run of the game to make it a 4-2 ballgame in the top of the seventh inning.
The Cardinals finished with 11 hits in the game, including five for extra bases. Kahle was the offensive star going 3-for-5 with two runs, two RBI's and a double. Hoffman and
Eddy Gonzalez each had two hits as well.
Cody Allen (Bulverde/Smithson Valley HS) started the game on the mound and pitched well allowing four hits and one run in 3.0 innings to earn a no-decision for UIW.
Lance Moszkowicz (Spring/Klein Collins HS) ended up with his first win of the season. He tossed 3.1 innings of relief allowing two hits, one earned run and no walks while striking out four.
The Vaqueros had 10 hits in the game and were led by Mercer who was 3-for-5 with a run, three RBI's and a home run. Jose Garcia was 2-for-3 with two runs scored while Collazo was 2-for-4. Robert Quinonez went 6.2 innings to start the game. He allowed seven hits, three runs and one walk while striking out seven. Parker Gallegos took the loss without retiring a batter. He allowed two hits, two walks and a run.
The Cardinals are back in action this weekend for a three-game series at Southland Conference rival Houston Baptist University.
####
pr16229smm
