SAN ANTONIO, Texas – The University of the Incarnate Word baseball team will host Southland Conference rival Lamar in the battle of the Cardinals this weekend.
 
The Beaumont Birds and Broadway Birds will go head-to-head in a three-game, Southland Conference series beginning Friday at 6:30 p.m. Game two is scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday, with the series finale set for 1 p.m. Sunday.
 
FIRST PITCH
 
UIW has proven up to the challenge of an extremely difficult schedule this season. The Broadway Birds turned in hard-fought losses at No. 8 Texas A&M, No. 30 Texas State, Purdue and Kansas State, while earning arguably the biggest win in school history over No. 30 Notre Dame earlier in the year.
 
UIW picked up series victories over Northern Illinois, Maine and Abilene Christian at Daniel Sullivan Field and will look to continue that success at home against a Lamar squad seeking its first conference win of the season.
 
SCOUTING LAMAR
Record: 14-7 overall, 0-6 SLC
Head Coach: Will Davis
Leaders:
No. 2 Sr. INF Phillip Ingram – .308 AVG, 12 H, 6 R, 1 RBI
No. 7 So. INF Cole Coker – .299 AVG, 23 H, 8 RBI, 6 R
No. 4 Jr. OF Chase Whetsel – .273 AVG, 15 H, 6 R, 4 RBI
Probable Starters:
Friday: No. 49 Sr. RHP Tanner Driskill (0-2) – 3.37 ERA, 18.2 IP, 20 SO
Saturday: No. 7 So. LHP Noah Sills (2-2) – 2.22 ERA, 28.1 IP, 23 SO
Sunday: No. 18 Jr. LHP Jason Blanchard (0-3) – 2.45 ERA, 14.2 IP, 11 SO
Summary: Lamar finished the 2017 season with a 13-25 overall record and 16-14 mark in league play. The Beaumont Birds reached the Southland Conference Tournament but were eliminated with consecutive losses to Houston Baptist and McNeese.
 
Lamar is currently 4-17 overall and 0-6 in conference action. The Beaumont Birds' record is deceiving as they opened league play against last year's Southland Conference Champion Sam Houston and perennial power Southeastern Louisiana.
 
Lamar is currently ranked second in the Southland and ninth in the nation in double plays (22).
 
THE UIW FILE
Record: 13-10 overall, 3-3 SLC
Head Coach: Patrick Hallmark
Leaders:
No. 24 So. C Kyle Bergeron – .376 AVG, 35 H, 18 RBI, 15 R, 2 HR
No. 21 Jr. OF Eddy Gonzalez – .372 AVG, 29 H, 14 R, 10 RBI, 1 HR
No. 5 Fr. OF Ridge Rogers – .360 AVG, 27 H, 15 R, 7 RBI
Probable Starters:
Friday: No. 35 Sr. P Tyler Miller (2-1) – 1.88 ERA, 28.2 IP, 25 SO
Saturday: No. 38 So. P Luke Taggart (2-1) – 4.97 ERA, 29.0 IP, 21 SO
Sunday: No. 23 Jr. P Bernie Martinez (2-2) – 4.10 ERA, 37.1 IP, 25 SO
Summary: UIW finished the 2017 season with a 20-36 overall record and an 8-22 mark against Southland Conference opponents. The Broadway Birds will look to snap a four-game losing streak after being swept on the road at Central Arkansas and suffering a 6-5 midweek defeat at the hands of No. 30 Texas State.
 
UIW is currently ranked first in the Southland conference and fourth in the nation in sacrifice flies (15), paced by the country's individual leader in that category, David Anaya.
 
Kyle Bergeron leads the Southland Conference in hits (35).
 
SERIES HISTORY
 
The Beaumont Birds hold a 6-3 advantage in the all-time series with the Broadway Birds. Lamar picked up a three-game sweep of UIW in the most recent meeting between programs in 2017.
 
UP NEXT
 
UIW hosts Southern at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
 
STAY TUNED
 
The Broadway Birds' Southland Conference journey continues with a trip to the Piney Woods of Nacogdoches for a three-game series against Stephen F. Austin, Mar. 29-31.
 
To purchase tickets to any UIW Athletics home event, contact Ticket Sales Coordinator Alma Lara at 210-805-3012.
 
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