SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – Homeruns by
Matt Morris (Scottsdale, AZ/Saguaro HS) and
Brance Kahle (Coleyville/Grapevine Faith HS) propelled the University of the Incarnate Word baseball team to a 9-8 non-conference win against UTSA on Wednesday at Roadrunner Field.
After getting swept by Central Arkansas this past weekend, the Cardinals (13-35) bounced back and completed a two-game season sweep of the Roadrunners (15-32) after also beating them 5-2 in April.
The scoring started in the second inning when Morris drove in
Tanner Wall (San Antonio/Johnson HS) with a single and
Christian Divelbiss (Yuba City, CA/Yuba City HS) followed with a two-run double to take a 3-0 lead. UTSA answered in the bottom of the inning with a two-run homer by Bryan Arias, who ended the game with a cycle—the school's first since 2009.
The Cardinals big inning came in the fifth when they exploded with a four spot. It all began with the Kahle solo homerun.
Trey Rodriguez (Corpus Christi/Carroll HS) drove in two with a double down the third base line and later came in to score on an error. In the seventh inning, Morris hit a two-run homerun to give UIW a commanding 9-2 lead, but UTSA would not go down quietly.
UTSA responded with five runs in the bottom of the inning to make it 9-7 which made the Cardinals put in their closer,
Lance Moszkowicz (Spring/Klein Collins HS), for a six-out save. He kept UTSA scoreless in the eighth, thanks in part to a great catch by
Austin Hoffman (Goodyear, AZ/Millenium HS) who went over the railing in foul territory to retire the potential tying run and end the inning. Then in the ninth, Hoffman would make another defensive play to help the Cardinals snap their three-game losing streak. After the leadoff guy got on base with a single, the potential tying run hit a line drive which Hoffman was able to snag to start a double play. This play was crucial since Arias doubled to right field and later scored on a single. With the score 9-8, Moszkowicz struck out the last out for his ninth save of the season.
The Cardinals pitched the game by committee using 10 pitchers.
Tyler Lesley (San Antonio/Brandeis HS) picked up his fourth win of the season with a scoreless inning while striking out one. Six of the Cardinal pitchers combined for six scoreless innings only allowing two hits and striking out five. Moszkowicz picked up the save while the Roadrunners' starter, Jake Harrison was tabbed with the loss.
Morris, Wall and Divelbiss all went 2-for-4 on the evening while Morris and Wall scored three runs apiece. Morris also drove in three runs with Rodriguez and Divelbiss driving in two apiece. For UTSA, Arias completed the cycle and finished 4-for-5 with three runs scored and four driven in. J.T. Gilmore collected two hits and two RBI's.
The Cardinals are back in action with a Southland Conference series at home against Abilene Christia, starting on Friday at 6:30 p.m. This is UIW's last home series of the season.
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