SAN ANTONIO – Landon Etzel did not waste any time in the bottom of the 13th inning. With the crack of the bat Zach Limas and Grant Smith were off to the races, Limas scored easy and Smith slid into home unaware the ball got past the left fielder for the game-winner as the University of the Incarnate Word walked off in game one with a 6-5 win over Southeastern Louisiana in extras on Friday night at Sullivan Field.
Etzel entered the box with bases loaded, one out and without a hit on the season until he sent a scorcher through the left side and knew right away it was going to score two and end the game.
UIW (6-4, 3-2 SLC) got out to a 4-1 lead after seven innings as Cardinals' starter, Carson Rollins pitched a gem, scattering just four hits and one earned run before exiting with two outs in the eighth.
Smith got the offense going with a single in the bottom of the second inning and later scored as Trent Koerner grounded out to the first baseman. The Lions put a run on the board in the top of the third inning with a leadoff single and later scoring on a two-out single.
UIW responded with two runs in the fourth inning as Ridge Rogers hit a one-out single back up the middle, Limas reached on an error and both Cardinals scored on a Koerner single to right field.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Cardinals put up another run when Rogers doubled and later scored on a long sacrifice fly off the bat of Limas.
SLU (11-6, 4-1 SLC) scratched across a couple of runs in the eighth inning. The Lions benefited on a leadoff double from Tyler Finke who scooted around the bases on a fly out and a passed ball to cut the Cardinals' lead in half. The Lions added another run when Jacob Burke reached on an error and scored on two passed balls to make it a one-run game, 4-3 late.
Southeastern Louisiana tacked on a run in the top of the ninth inning to tie it, 4-4. Gaby Cruz reached on a fielder's choice and advanced to third on a single before scoring on a 4-6-3 double play. Josh Lackner gave the Cardinals a chance in the bottom of the frame with a single to left field but was stranded on the bases to go to extra innings.
The Cardinals had a chance in the 11th inning with runners on first and second with no outs, but a heads-up play by the Lions' third baseman got a force out at third to cut down the lead runner, a strikeout and an Etzel groundout ended the UIW threat.
Michael Garza got the win on the mound after relieving Johnny Foral in the ninth inning. Garza threw the final five innings giving up just one earned run and striking out six.
ON DECK
The Cardinals continue the four-game series with Southeastern La. in double-header action on Saturday, starting with a seven-inning game at 2 p.m. with a nine-inning, game two to follow before wrapping up the series with a 1 p.m. start on Sunday, March 21.
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