SAN ANTONIO– A four-run lead wasn't enough, as Texas A&M Corpus Christi handed the University of the Incarnate Word baseball team a 5-4 come-from-behind victory in ten innings on Friday evening at Sullivan Field.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Defending pitcher of the week,
John Shull, started on the mound for the Cardinals and looked good early. After throwing a complete game shutout his last time out, he blanked the Islanders (18-31) for five innings, before getting into trouble in the sixth.
The Cardinals (19-31) scored a run in the first, then a
Sean Arnold triple dove in another run in the fourth, which was followed by an RBI-single from
Mark Whitehead to make it 3-0. Then in the fifth,
Garrett Terrell connected with the first pitch of his at bat for a double, driving in
Lee Thomas all the way from first base; Terrell was thrown out trying to stretch it into a triple.
After being scoreless for five innings, the Islanders finally got on the board on a bases loaded walk in the sixth. A double play groundball scored another run, and Jackson Owens then singled in another run to cut the lead down to 4-3.
The Islanders' David Worrell came in relief and shut down the Cardinals for 4.2 innings of scoreless baseball. He only allowed one hit, and struck out two in what turned into a win on the mound for him. The Islanders tied the game in the eighth on a Cullen Jozwiak double to left center field, sending the game to extra innings 4-4.
It didn't take the visiting team to take a lead in extras. They loaded the bases, and again, the Cardinals' pitcher walked in a run, but this time giving up the go-ahead run, and the eventual winning run.
The Cardinals went down in order in the bottom half of the tenth, giving Chris Cooper his sixth save of the season.
Cody Allen pitched three strong innings for UIW. He allowed three hits, and only one unearned run.
Tyler Miller picked up the loss, falling to 2-2 on the season, while Worrell took the tough-earned win to improve to 2-4.
LEADERS
Arnold,
Kyler Genenbacher and
Eddy Gonzalez led the offense with two hits apiece. Arnold hit a triple, while Gonzalez and Terrell each hit a double. Whitehead had a hit, a run, an RBI, and two walks in the loss.
For the Islanders, defending hitter of the week, Dalton Stark, led the way with three hits and three runs scored. Jozwiak added two runs batted in, while Nick Anderson had the game-winning RBI.
UP NEXT
Game two of the series is scheduled for tomorrow at 3 p.m. at Sullivan Field.
Bernie Martinez will get the ball for the Cardinals, and the Islanders have not yet announced a starter. First pitch for game three is on Sunday at 1 p.m.
STAY TUNED
After the weekend series, the Cardinals will head to Austin to face the Longhorns on Tuesday at 6 p.m.
For the most up-to-date information on UIW Athletics visit uiwcardinals.com. Be sure to follow UIW Athletics on Twitter @UIWAthletics and like UIW Athletics on Facebook at UIW Athletics.
