SAN ANTONIO, Texas – The University of the Incarnate Word baseball team picked up a decisive 8-3 victory over Lamar on Saturday to even the Battle of the Birds behind strong pitching and a pair of hot bats.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
The Broadway Birds (14-11, 4-4 SLC) captured a 1-0 advantage in the first after David Anaya drove Mark Whitehead in with a single to center. UIW had the opportunity to take a commanding lead with three men on, but a strikeout ended the inning.
 
The Broadway Birds missed another chance to pad their advantage in the second, stranding runners at second and third.
 
The Beaumont Birds (5-18, 1-7 SLC) capitalized on a UIW error in the third to steal a 2-1 lead. With one out and two runners on, an "excuse me" swing sent a slow roller to the pitcher's mound for what should have been an easy double-play ball, but an errant throw allowed a run to come in and placed runners on first and third. A fielder's choice on the next play allowed a second run to score, but Kyle Bergeron's diving stop on the play prevented Lamar from adding a third.
 
The Broadway Birds batted around and regained the advantage with six runs in the sixth. UIW loaded the bases with no outs, before a Tyler Pettit single through the left side scored two. After Whitehead moved the runners up with a sac bunt, Ridge Rogers notched a lofty bloop single that fell in the sweet spot between the third baseman and left fielder. The play allowed Sean Arnold to come home. Bergeron followed with an RBI-single through the right side that drove in Pettit. The next batter, David Anaya, added to his nation-leading sac fly total, driving in Rogers and advancing Bergeron to second. Eddy Gonzalez scored Bergeron with an infield single, before the Beaumont Birds could close out the inning.
 
Frustrations boiled over in the eighth, when Chase Kemp completed and 0-for-4 outing by fouling out to Cody Allen and two-hand shoving Arnold to the ground on his way to first. The following batter notched an RBI single, but consecutive strikeouts ended the frame with the Broadway Birds maintaining a 7-3 lead.
 
UIW answered with an eighth-inning insurance run as Whitehead scored off the bat of Bergeron.
 
LEADERS
 
Bergeron hit 4-for-5 with 2 RBIs and a run scored. Pettit was just off Bergeron's pace with a 3-for-4 outing, 2 RBIs and a run.
 
Cole Coker had the only multi-hit performance for Lamar, going 2-for-5 with a run.
 
Starter Luke Taggart (3-1) earned the win, allowing 3 runs (1 earned) on 3 hits through 7.0 innings on the mound. He struck out 5 and walked 3. Allen was solid in relief, holding the Beaumont Birds to just 2 hits while fanning 3 batters through 2.0 innings of work.
 
Noah Sills (2-3) took the loss, surrendering 6 runs on 9 hits through 5.1 innings. He struck out 3 and walked 2.
 
UP NEXT
 
The rubber match between UIW and Lamar is scheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday.
 
STAY TUNED
 
UIW hosts Southern at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
 
To purchase tickets to any UIW Athletics home event, contact Ticket Sales Coordinator Alma Lara at 210-805-3012.
 
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