SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – The University of the Incarnate Word baseball team could not overcome five early runs from Nicholls in the first two innings and dropped game one of their Southland Conference series, 8-4 at Sullivan Field on Friday night.
The Colonels (13-19, 4-9 SLC) started hot right from the get-go. Ethan Valdez hit the second pitch of the game into left center field for a triple and then scored on a single from Joey Morales. They ended up scoring three runs in the inning, but the scoring did not stop there. The Cardinals (7-23, 2-8 SLC) responded in the bottom of the inning with two runs to make it 3-2 when
Brance Kahle (Colleyville/Grapevine Faith HS) drove in two runs with a single to center field. Nicholls then jumped out to a 5-2 lead in the second inning and never looked back. They scored two runs in the fifth inning and one more in the eighth to ultimately take the game, 8-4.
Justin Sinibaldi pitched a complete game for the Colonels and picked up his third win of the season. He gave up eight hits and two earned runs (two unearned) in nine innings, without a walk and 10 strikeouts. Cardinals starter
Bernie Martinez (Laredo/United HS) was tabbed with the loss.
Kyle Knauth and Valdez both collected three hits apiece for the Colonels, while Gavin Wehby, Quade Smith and Valdez each drove in a pair of runs. For the Cardinals, Kahle drove in three runs and
Braden Martin (Andrews/Andrews HS) collected two hits with an RBI and a run scored.
Both teams committed three errors each, and the Colonels outhit the Cardinals 12-8 on the night.
Game two of the series is scheduled for tomorrow at 3:00 p.m.
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