SAN ANTONIO -- The University of the Incarnate Word baseball team hosts a midweek matchup against Texas State on Tuesday. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. (CT) at Sullivan Field, sponsored by H-E-B.
 
THE GAME
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LIVE STATS
 
HISTORY VS TEXAS STATE

• The Bobcats have a 25-9 advantage over the Cardinals in the all-time series.
• The teams first played on March 14, 1987 when the Bobcats took two wins, 19-1 and 5-0, in a doubleheader.
• The teams last played on March 6, 2019 when the Cardinals fell to the Bobcats, 7-4, in San Marcos.

 
HIGHLIGHTS FROM LAST WEEK

• The Cardinals secured a 19-4 win against UMass on March 12. The game was highlighted by three Cardinals home runs. 
• Taylor Smith notched his third two-home run game on the season, blasting a three-run bomb and a grand slam, while Sean Arnold recorded his first home run of the season, to lead the Cardinals to victory over the Minutemen.
• Chance Medina and Antonio Valdez also recorded three hits to contribute to the victory.
• UIW then went 1-2 in its conference series against Sam Houston State (March 15-17), with its lone win being a 8-2 victory on March 16.
• Tyler Miller (2-3) earned the win, holding the Bearkats to two runs on five hits while striking out three batters in 5.0 innings pitched; Bernie Martinez earned his second save of the season, striking out three batters in 3.0 innings pitched (March 16)
• Taylor Smith paced the team in the Cardinals' 8-2 win on March 16. He had a 3-for-4 contest, including two doubles, two RBI and two runs.
• Jordan Thompson had two hits with a home run, two RBI and two runs (March 16).

 
SCOUTING THE BOBCATS

• Texas State is 12-8 overall, 1-2 in the Sun Belt Conference, after an 8-2 win against South Alabama on Sunday. 
• Jaylen Hubbard leads the Bobcats with 28 hits, 21 runs, nine RBI, and .350 batting average.
• The Bobcats lead the Sun Belt Conference with a 3.66 team ERA.

 
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 Fighting Irish 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 have had double-digit hits.

 
MARTINEZ ON THE MOUND

• 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.
• He also notched his first save of the season in UIW's 6-2 win over UT-Arlington on March 3.
• He earned his second save of the season in UIW's 8-2 win over Sam Houston State on March 16.
• Martinez (4-0) has a nation-leading four wins.

 
THREE CHEERS FOR SMITH

• Freshman catcher Taylor Smith has started in 19 of 20 games so far. He has notched 29 hits, 22 runs and 27 RBI; he has a .408 batting average. 
• Smith has also tallied seven home runs and five doubles for a conference-best .783 slugging percentage. He has amassed five two-hit games, a three-hit game, 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 with 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 recorded his third two-home run game in the Cardinals' 19-4 win over UMass on March 12, blasting a three-run home bomb and a grand slam.
• Smith leads the conference with seven home runs.

 
TALK ABOUT THOMPSON

• Freshman centerfielder Jordan Thompson is off to a hot start as a Cardinal, starting in 19 games. 
• Thompson has a .317 batting average, including 20 hits, 12 runs, and 17 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 seven stolen bases in the first 20 games of the season, while Sean Arnold has registered five.
• Eddy Gonzalez has recorded four stolen bases, while Shea Gutierrez has logged three stolen bases. 
• Ryan Gonzalez, Antonio Valdez, Kyle Bergeron and Ridge Rogers have all notched two stolen bases.
• The Cardinals have 28 stolen bases this season, third in the SLC.

 
TAKE ONE FOR THE TEAM

• The Cardinals have amassed a nation-leading 15 sacrifice flies.
• Ryan Gonzalez leads the team with four sacrifice flies -- best in the conference and sixth in the nation -- while Antonio Valdez has recorded three sacrifice flies.
• Kyle Bergeron, Jordan Thompson, and Taylor Smith have recorded two sacrifice flies each.
• Ryan Flores and Ridge Rogers chipped in one sacrifice fly apiece.
• Ryan Flores leads the team with two sacrifice hits.
• Sean Arnold, Ryan Gonzalez, Lee Thomas, Shea Gutierrez and Chance Medina each have one sacrifice hit.

 
AROUND THE CONFERENCE

• UIW leads the conference in the Southland Conference in sacrifice flies (15).
• The defense has turned 17 double plays, second in the conference.
• The Cardinals ranks second in the conference with 218 hits. 
• UIW has a .973 fielding percentage, second-best in the conference.
• The pitching staff has a 3.89 ERA, fourth in the conference.
• The Cardinals are third in the conference with 28 stolen bases.
• UIW is second in the conference with a .313 batting average.

 
IN THE NATION

• The Cardinals have racked up a nation-leading 15 sacrifice flies. 
• The Cardinals are 11th in the nation in batting average (.313).
• UIW ranks No. 11 in the nation with 218 hits.
• Taylor Smith ranks No. 13 nationally with seven home runs.
• Ryan Gonzalez is sixth in nation with four sacrifice flies.
• Bernie Martinez is ninth in 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 Lake Charles, Louisiana, to play a three-game conference series against McNeese. The series begins on Friday at 6 p.m. (CT) at Joe Miller 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.