Baseball hosts weekend series against UT-Arlington
 
SAN ANTONIO -- The University of the Incarnate Word baseball team hosts UT-Arlington in a three-game series Friday-Sunday at Daniel P. Sullivan Field, sponsored by H-E-B. The first game is scheduled for Friday at 6:30 p.m. (CT).
 
THE GAMES
Friday, March 1, at 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 2, at 2 p.m.
Sunday, March 3, at 1 p.m.
 
HISTORY VS UT-ARLINGTON

• UIW has a 1-3 record against UT-Arlington.
• The teams first faced off in 2014, when the Cardinals topped the Mavericks, 4-1.
• They last played on March 26, 2016, when the Mavericks beat the Cardinals, 13-0.

 
HIGHLIGHTS FROM No. 23 TEXAS A&M

• The Cardinals defeated No. 23 Texas A&M, 6-5, on Wednesday night, marking their first win over the Aggies in program history.
• Jordan Thompson led the team with a double and a home run, recording three RBI and a run. His three-RBI blast ended up being the hit that secured the victory for the Cardinals.
• Six Cardinals -- Sean Arnold (2), Ryan Gonzalez (2), Taylor Smith (2), Antonio Valdez (2), Thompson (2), and Ryan Flores (2) -- each had multi-hit games.
• Bernie Martinez (3-0) earned the win for the Cardinals, pitching 4.2 innings and throwing one strikeout. Martinez held the Aggies to just two hits and a run.
• With Kyle Bergeron's sacrifice fly in the first inning, the Cardinals have 10 sac flies on the season. UIW leads the nation in this category.
• This is the first time in program history that the Cardinals have topped two Power 5 opponents in one week.

 
SCOUTING THE MAVERICKS

• UT-Arlington is 6-4 overall following a 2-0 win against Abilene Christian on Tuesday.
• Anthony Dominguez leads UT-Arlington with a .406 batting average. He has 13 hits in 32 at-bats and has scored eight runs.
• Maverick catcher Will Olson was named to the 2019 Bobby Bragan Collegiate Slugger Award Watch List.

 
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE ALAMO IRISH CLASSIC

• Ryan Flores led UIW in the 8-3 win over EMU with a 3-for-5 outing (Feb. 21). He chipped in two RBI, while Kyle Bergeron had two hits and two runs. Lee Thomas also had multiple hits, going 2-for-3 with 2 RBI. Antonio Valdez chipped in three runs, two RBI and a hit.
• Tyler Miller notched a career-high 10 strikeouts in 6.0 innings of work in the 2-1 loss to Notre Dame, allowing just one run on five hits (Feb. 22).
• 15 runs in the 15-7 win against Notre Dame (Feb. 23) marks the most runs scored against a Power 5 opponent in program history. 
• Taylor Smith went 4-for-6 while registering his first two home runs as a Cardinal in the game against Notre Dame on Feb. 23. He also tallied five RBIs. This was Smith's second multi-hit game of his career and marked a career high in both hits (four) and RBI (five).
• Ryan Flores and Tyler Pettit contributed three hits each.
• UIW amassed 11 hits overall, marking the fourth game of the season where the Cardinals have had double-digit hits.
• Aaron Celestino held the Eagles scoreless through 7.0 innings in the 4-0 win against EMU on Feb. 24. He allowed just three hits while striking out four on 82 pitches.
• Lee Thomas reached base in all four at-bats, recording three hits, a double, a run and a walk. Ryan Gonzalez, Eddy Gonzalez and Jordan Thompson each contributed two hits.

 
FRESH FACES

• Freshman catcher Taylor Smith has started in all nine games for the Cardinals. He has notched 13 hits, 10 runs and 10 RBI for a team-best .433 batting average. He has also tallied two home runs and five doubles for an .800 slugging percentage. Smith's first two weeks in black and red were highlighted by a 4-for-6 outing with two home runs and five RBI in UIW's 15-7 win over Notre Dame on Feb. 23.
• Freshman centerfielder Jordan Thompson is off to a hot start as a Cardinal, starting in eight of the first nine games. Thompson has a .360 batting average, including nine hits, five runs, and 12 RBI. Thompson's hot start was driven by a 2-for-4 outing with a double and five RBIs in UIW's 12-1 win over Hofstra on Feb. 16.
• Thompson was 2-for-4 with a run and three RBI against the 23rd-ranked Aggies on Feb. 27, including a three-run bomb that ended up securing the victory for UIW.

 
CARDINALS SWOOP IN AND STEAL YOUR BASE

• Jordan Thompson has amassed six stolen bases in the first nine games of the season, while Eddy Gonzalez has four.
• Shea Gutierrez has recorded three stolen bases, while Ryan Gonzalez, Sean Arnold and Ridge Rogers have all notched two.
• The Cardinals have 22 stolen bases this season, tops in the SLC and eighth in the nation.

 
AROUND THE CONFERENCE

• UIW leads the Southland Conference in stolen bases (22) and sacrifice flies (10).
• UIW also leads the conference in fielding percentage (.988).
• The pitching staff has the conference-best ERA (2.25) and the lowest opponent's batting average (.211), while allowing the least runs (23) in the conference.

 
IN THE NATION

• The Cardinals have racked up a nation-leading 10 sacrifice flies.
• UIW is 17th in the nation with a 2.25 ERA.
• The Cardinals are 13th nationally with a .988 fielding percentage.
• UIW ranks No. 20 in the nation with 92 hits and No. 21 nationally with 68 runs.
• UIW is eighth in the nation with 22 total stolen bases.
• Jordan Thompson's six stolen bases rank 14th in the nation.

 
HALLMARK HITS FROM 2018

• In his first year as head coach, Patrick Hallmark led the program to its most overall (29) wins and most conference (13) wins -- and its first winning season -- since joining Division I and the Southland Conference.
• Ridge Rogers was selected Southland Conference Freshman of the Year after the 2018 season.
• Rogers was also named to the 2018 Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-America team, becoming the program's first All-American since joining Division I in 2014.

 
WHAT'S IN A NAME
Sullivan Field, now sponsored by H-E-B, underwent renovations in the fall. Astroturf was installed in the infield, and the stadium received new backstops, netting, and other visual improvements.
 
PRESEASON HONORS

• Kyle Bergeron and Eddy Gonzalez earned preseason first-team All-SLC, while Ryan Flores earned preseason second-team All-SLC.
• Cody Allen was named to the NCBWA 2019 Stopper of the Year Preseason Watchlist.
• Bergeron was named to the Bobby Bragan Collegiate Slugger Award Watchlist.

 
EXPERIENCED LINEUP
The Cardinals' entire starting rotation returns, and the team lost only one outfielder from the starting lineup.
 
UP NEXT
The Cardinals travel to San Marcos, Texas, for a mid-week matchup against Texas State. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. at Bobcat Ballpark.
 
FOLLOW ALONG
For the most up-to-date information on UIW Athletics, visit uiwcardinals.com, follow the Cardinals on Twitter @UIWAthletics and like UIW Athletics on Facebook at UIW Athletics.