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University of the Incarnate Word Athletics

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BSB vs Bradley finale
Vashaun Newman/UIW Athletics
9
BRADLEY BRADLEY 0-3
19
Winner UIW UIW 3-0
BRADLEY BRADLEY
0-3
9
Final
19
UIW UIW
3-0
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
BRADLEY BRADLEY 0 3 0 0 3 0 2 0 1 9 13 0
UIW UIW 0 4 5 3 2 0 2 3 X 19 15 1

W: Celestino, Aaron (1-0) L: DePiero, DJ (0-1)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Slugging Cardinals sweep the series against Bradley with a 19-9 victory

SAN ANTONIO -- The University of the Incarnate Word baseball team clinched a series sweep over Bradley with a 19-9 victory on Sunday afternoon at Daniel Sullivan Field, sponsored by H-E-B. The 3-0 start to the season is UIW's best since joining Division I. 
 
NOTABLES
  • Grant Smith had his first collegiate hit in the second inning with a two-RBI double. He then made the most of his next at-bat, hitting it out of the park of his first home run as a Cardinal. 
  • Two other Cardinals notched their first home runs of the season: Ryan Flores hit a two-RBI home run to right field, his first of the season, and Drew Minter sent a three-RBI bomb over the left field wall, marking his first dinger as a Cardinal.
  • Aaron Celestino (1-0) earned the win for UIW, allowing no runs on one hit in 2.0 innings pitched. 
  • The Cardinals scored 35 runs over the three-game series against Bradley this weekend. This is the second-most runs UIW has scored in a three-game series (most: 36 against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on April 26-28, 2019), and the most scored during opening weekend, since becoming DI.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
It was a quiet first inning. Andrew Morgan forced Bradley into three groundouts in the top of the first to start his first appearance of the season on a good note, while the Braves limited the Cardinals to one hit in the bottom of the inning.
 
Bradley opened the scoring in the top of the second, driving in three runs on five hits to take a 3-0 advantage, its first lead of the series. UIW wasted no time, responding with four runs in the bottom of the frame to take a 4-3 lead. Smith picked up his first collegiate hit, smacking a two-run double to right field to score Chance Medina and Lee Thomas. Ridge Rogers then singled up the middle to drive in Minter and Smith.
 
The third inning began with an outstanding catch by Landon Etzel in left field for the first out. Michael Garza then replaced Morgan on the mound, striking out two straight batters to end the inning. The Cardinals tacked on five more runs in the bottom of the frame to extend their lead to 9-3. Two runs scored on a Flores double and Minter single. Smith continued his career day, blasting his first collegiate home run, a three-run jack to left field. 
 
With a runner on second and one out, the Braves threatened to cut the lead in the fourth, but Minter made a diving catch in right field and threw to Smith at second to turn the double play, getting the Cardinals out of the inning with no damage. In the bottom of the frame, Minter took advantage of a pitch straight down the middle and hit his first home run as a Cardinal – the second three-run bomb of the game – giving the Cardinals a commanding 12-3 lead.
 
Bradley cut into the Cardinal advantage with a three-run home run in the top of the fifth, making the score 12-6, resulting in a pitching change that brought in winning pitcher Aaron Celestino with no outs. Celestino shut down the Braves to get out of the inning. In the bottom of the frame, Flores added to the Cardinals' advantage with his first home run of the season, a two-run blast to right field to make the score 14-6.
 
After a clean sixth inning, the Braves attempted a comeback in the seventh with a two-run home run, cutting UIW's lead to 14-8. The Cardinals immediately took back those two runs as Bergeron doubled to lead off the inning for his first hit of the season, later scoring on a Flores sacrifice fly. Three pitches later, Etzel scored on a wild pitch, extending UIW's advantage to 16-8.
 
The Cardinals tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the eighth with a bases-loaded walk, a fielder's choice and another Flores sacrifice fly; UIW surrendered one run to Bradley in the top of the ninth before sealing the 19-9 victory with an game-ending double play. 
 
RECORDS UPDATE
UIW: 3-0
Bradley: 0-3
 
ON DECK
The Cardinals participate in the annual Alamo Irish Classic on Feb. 20-23, playing against Notre Dame (Thursday and Friday), Toledo (Saturday) and crosstown rival UTSA (Sunday) throughout the four-day tournament. UIW begins the tournament by facing Notre Dame on Feb. 20 at 6 p.m. (CT) at Nelson W. Wolff Municipal Stadium.
 
FAN INVOLVEMENT 
Click HERE to support the UIW baseball program through Dollars for Dingers and Kash for K's. 
 
To purchase season memberships, contact UIW Director of Ticketing Alma Lara at 210-805-3012 or aylara@uiwtx.edu. 
 
DUGOUT CLUB
Join UIW baseball's Dugout Club for exclusive benefits. Fans can find the form here. The form can be filled out and returned to Danielle Shedd at dshedd@uiwtx.edu.
 
FOLLOW ALONG
For the most up-to-date information on UIW Athletics, visit uiwcardinals.com, follow the Cardinals on Twitter @UIWAthleticsand like UIW Athletics on Facebook at UIW Athletics.
 
Follow UIW Baseball on Twitter @UIWBaseball and on Instagram @uiwbaseball.
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