SAN ANTONIO -- The University of the Incarnate Word baseball team hosts a midweek matchup against the University of Massachusetts on Tuesday. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. (CT). The game was originally slated for 6:30 p.m., but was changed due to the threat of inclement weather.
 
THE GAME
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HISTORY VS UMass
This will be the first meeting between UIW and UMass.
 
HIGHLIGHTS FROM LAST WEEK

• The Cardinals suffered a 7-4 loss on March 6 to the Bobcats of Texas State.
• Ryan Flores was 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI, and a run. Lee Thomas also went 2-for-4, while chipping in two RBI.
• UIW then went 1-2 in its conference-opening series (March 8-10) against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, with its lone win being a 6-5 victory on March 9.
• Bernie Martinez earned the win on March 9, striking out five batters and holding the Islanders to one run in 2.2 innings pitched.
• Antonio Valdez went 2-for-3 with two RBI, while Ryan Gonzalez was 2-for-4 with two RBI in the 6-5 win (March 9).
• The Cardinals fell, 11-6, on Sunday despite three Cardinal home runs. Taylor Smith recorded two home runs -- a solo shot and a three-run blast -- while Lee Thomas amassed a solo home run of his own (March 10).

 
SCOUTING THE MINUTEMEN

• UMass is 4-3 overall after a 14-11 win against UTRGV on Sunday.
• Luke Oliphant leads the Minutemen with nine hits, six runs, five RBI, and a .321 batting average.
• The Minutemen lead the Atlantic 10 Conference in least hits allowed (46). 

 
SUCCESS AGAINST POWER FIVE OPPONENTS

• The Cardinals defeated No. 23 Texas A&M, 6-5, on Feb. 27. This win marked their second win over a Power 5 opponent in the same week, the first time the Cardinals have done so in program history.
• The game was highlighted by a Jordan Thompson three-run home run, which ended up being the hit that secured UIW's victory.
• Bernie Martinez earned the win, pitching 4.2 innings while holding the Aggies to just two hits and one run.
• The Cardinals lost, 2-1, against Notre Dame on Feb. 22, but exploded for a 15-7 win against the FightingIrish on Feb. 23.
• 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 against the Fighting Irish; UIW amassed 11 hits overall, marking the fourth game of the season where the Cardinals had double-digit hits.

 
MARTINEZ NAMED SLC PITCHER OF THE WEEK

• Martinez was named Southland Conference Pitcher of the Week on March 5 after a successful week on the mound.
• He led the Cardinals to a 6-5 win against No. 23 Texas A&M on Feb. 27, marking his third win of the season.
• He also notched his first save of the season in UIW's 6-2 win over UT-Arlington on March 3.

• Martinez (4-0) has a nation-leading four wins.

 
THREE CHEERS FOR SMITH

• Freshman catcher Taylor Smith has started in 15 of 16 games so far. He has notched 21 hits, 15 runs and 18 RBI; he has a .382 batting average.
• Smith has also tallied five home runs and five doubles for a conference-best .709 slugging percentage. He has amassed two two-hit games and two four-hit games.
• His season has been 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.
• Smith followed the Notre Dame game with a perfect 4-for-4 outing and two RBI in the Cardinals' 6-2 win over UT-Arlington on March 3.
• Smith recorded his second two-home run game in UIW's 11-6 loss to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on March 10, blasting a solo home run as well as a three-run bomb for four RBI.
• Smith leads the conference with five home runs. 

 
TALK ABOUT THOMPSON

• Freshman centerfielder Jordan Thompson is off to a hot start as a Cardinal, starting in 15 games.
• Thompson has a .327 batting average, including 16 hits, nine runs, and 14 RBI.
• Thompson's hot start was driven by a 2-for-4 outing with a double and five RBI 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 seven stolen bases in the first 13 games of the season, while Eddy Gonzalez has registered four.
• Shea Gutierrez and Sean Arnold have recorded three stolen bases, while Ryan Gonzalez, Antonio Valdez, Kyle Bergeron and Ridge Rogers have all notched two.
• The Cardinals have 26 stolen bases this season, third in the SLC. 

 
TAKE ONE FOR THE TEAM

• The Cardinals have amassed a nation-leading 13 sacrifice flies.
• Ryan Gonzalez and Antonio Valdez lead the team with three sacrifice flies each -- best in the conference and eighth in the nation.
• Kyle Bergeron and Taylor Smith have recorded two sacrifice flies each.
• Jordan Thompson, Ryan Flores and Ridge Rogers have chipped in one sacrifice fly apiece.
• Ryan Flores leads the team with two sacrifice hits.
• Sean Arnold, Ryan Gonzalez, Shea Gutierrez and Chance Medina have one sacrifice hit. 

 
AROUND THE CONFERENCE

• UIW leads the Southland Conference in sacrifice flies (13).
• The defense has turned 14 double plays, first in the conference.
• The Cardinals rank third in the conference with 164 hits.
• UIW has a conference-best fielding percentage (.977).
• The pitching staff has the second-best conference ERA (3.42).
• UIW is third in the conference with 26 stolen bases.
• The Cardinals are second in the conference with a .302 batting average. 

 
IN THE NATION

• The Cardinals have racked up a nation-leading 13 sacrifice flies.

• UIW's 14 double plays rank No. 18 in the nation.
• The Cardinals are 23rd in the nation in batting average (.302).
• UIW ranks No. 24 in the nation with 164 hits.
• Taylor Smith ranks No. 23 nationally with five home runs.
• Ryan Gonzalez and Antonio Valdez are No. 8 in the nation with three sacrifice flies.
• Bernie Martinez leads the nation with four wins. 

 
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 Huntsville, Texas, to play a three-game conference series against Sam Houston State. The series begins on Friday at 6:30 p.m. (CT) at Don Sanders Baseball Stadium. 
 
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.