SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – The University of the Incarnate Word baseball team dropped a pair of Southland Conference games to Sam Houston State, 12-3 and 23-3 in a doubleheader Friday at Sullivan Field.

The Bearkats (20-16, 13-4 SLC) came out swinging in the doubleheader and did not waste any time. They outscored UIW, 35-6 and out-hit them, 53-12 in the two games.

In the first game, the Cardinals (10-26, 3-11 SLC) took an early 3-2 lead after Bryce Shepherd (Coldspring/Coldspring-Oakhurst HS) scored on a wild pitch and then Brance Kahle (Colleyville/Grapevine Faith HS) hit a sacrifice fly to right field to drive in Ryan Gonzalez (Corpus Christi/Carroll HS).  The Bearkats then scored 10 unanswered runs to take the game, 12-3.

Tanner Wall (San Antonio/Johnson HS) was the only Cardinal with a multi-hit game.  He finished the game 2-for-3 with a walk.  Austin Hoffman (Goodyear, AZ/Millenium HS) was 1-for-2 with an RBI and Ryan and Eddy Gonzalez (Laredo/United HS) each scored a run in the loss.  Eddy Gonzalez hit his fourth triple in the last five games.  Denson Hull (San Antonio/Churchill HS) took the loss for the Cardinals while Sam Odom picked up the win in a brilliant outing.  

Odom went all nine innings only allowing two earned runs (one unearned), six hits and a walk while striking out seven in his fifth win of the season.  Andrew Fregia, Lance Miles and Riley McKnight all collected three hits apiece for the Bearkats and combined to drive in seven runs.

In game two, SHSU picked up right where they left off.  They scored nine runs in the first three innings to take a commanding 9-1 lead.  Then a five run fifth stretched the lead to 14-1 and it did not stop there.  Clayton Harp had a career night.  He went 7-for-7 with four runs scored, three doubles and five RBI's.  Miles and Rojas each collected three more hits in the win while eight Bearkats had at least two hits.  Heath Donica picked up his sixth win of the season and went the full nine innings allowing three runs, three hits and two walks while striking out nine.

Kahle, Cory Duran (Lewisville/Lewisville HS) and Ryan Gonzalez drove in the three runs for the Cardinals and John Shull was tabbed with the loss.

Game three of the series is set for tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. at Sullivan Field.  The pitching probables are Cody Richey (0-3, 8.35) for the Cardinals and Riley Gossett (3-0, 3.55) for the Bearkats.
####
pr16274smm