SAN ANTONIO, Texas – The University of the Incarnate Word baseball team earned a come-from-behind upset victory over No. 30 Notre Dame on Thursday night at Nelson Wolff Stadium, stunning the host team with a game-winning two-run home run by David Anaya in the top of the ninth inning.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
With one out, one on and the game tied at three apiece in the final frame, Anaya stepped to the plate and launched a moon shot over the left field wall that proved to be the game winner.
 
The Cardinals (3-2) led for the majority of the night, only to watch the Fighting Irish (2-2) tie things up in the fifth. Notre Dame stole a 3-2 lead one inning later, and carried that advantage into the final frame.
 
Mark Whitehead got the party started on Thursday night with a leadoff double in the first, before sacrifice fly from Anaya sent him home.
 
UIW grabbed a 2-0 advantage in the third inning, after Shea Gutierrez doubled to left field and scored on an Anaya single.
 
The Cardinals maintained their lead until the fifth frame, when Notre Dame converted two singles, two stolen bases, a double and a walk into a pair of runs.
 
UIW loaded the bases with only one out in the sixth, but Notre Dame forced a pop up and a fly out to escape the inning unscathed.
 
In the bottom of the frame, Notre Dame stole the advantage when Daniel Jung notched a leadoff double to right center and came in on a single by Cole Daily.
 
The damage in the sixth might have been worse if not for a heads-up play by Anaya at third base. With two on and two outs, Nick Podkul smoked a line drive to Anaya. The force of Podkul's hit was so great that it knocked Anaya's glove completely off, but Anaya calmly reached down barehanded, fielded the ground ball and fired it to first for the final out of the inning.
 
In the ninth, Whitehead struck out, but reached first on a wild pitch. After advancing to second on another wild pitch, he came around on a single from Eddy Gonzalez. Anaya homered on the next at bat, and the Cardinals' defense locked down in the bottom of the inning to preserve the win.
 
UNSUNG HEROES
 
While Anaya's home run, four RBIs and heads-up fielding will rightfully grab the headlines, it was the UIW pitching staff that set the Cardinals up for success.
 
Starter Bernie Martinez tossed over 100 pitches and subdued the Fighting Irish through the majority of his 6.1 innings on the mound, while relievers Michael McElmeel and Cody Allen combined to toss the final 2.2 scoreless innings.
 
LEADERS
 
Anaya went 2-for-4 with four RBIs, a run and a game-winning two-run home run. Gonzalez finished 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored. Gutierrez turned in a 1-for-4 night with a run, while Whitehead hit 1-for-5 with a pair of runs scored.
 
Daily and Spencer Myers paced Notre Dame, each batting 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run.
 
Martinez held the Fighting Irish to 3 runs on 10 hits, through 6.1 innings of work. He retired 4 batters and walked only 2. In relief, McElmeel threw 1.0 innings, allowing 1 hit and registering 1 strikeout. Allen (1-0) earned the win, tossing the final 1.2 innings and allowing 1 hit, while fanning 2 batters.
 
Cole Kmet (0-1) took the loss, surrendering 3 runs on 3 hits, through 3.0 innings on the hill. He struck out 4 and walked 1.
 
UP NEXT
 
The Cardinals face Purdue at 4 p.m. on Friday, before a battle with Saint Louis at 4 p.m. on Saturday. Sunday's matchups, including the tournament championship, will be determined by the preceding games.
 
STAY TUNED
    
UIW travels to College Station on Feb. 28 to face No. 10 Texas A&M at 6:30 p.m.
 
To purchase tickets to any UIW Athletics home event, contact Ticket Sales Coordinator Alma Lara at 210-805-3012.
 
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