SAN ANTONIO – The University of the Incarnate Word baseball team heads to Nacogdoches, Texas to take on Stephen F. Austin in more Southland Conference action. The Cardinals and Lumberjacks are set to play the four-game series starting Thursday, April 1, and concludes on Saturday, April 3. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. (CT).
THE GAMES
(Watch)
Thursday, April 1, 6:30 p.m. (CT)
Friday April 2, 1:00 p.m. (CT)
Friday, April 2, TBD
Saturday, April 3, 1 p.m. (CT)
UIW QUICK HITS (10-8 overall, 7-5 SLC)
- UIW placed three on the Southland Conference Preseason All-Conference teams. Ryan Flores earned first-team honors for the second year in a row, while Lee Thomas and Grant Smith were selected for the second team.
- The Cardinals have split two Southland Conference series against Northwestern State and Central Arkansas and won three games against conference-leading Southeastern Louisiana.
- UIW ranks seventh in the country with 10 triples this season. The Cardinals are taking a .265 batting average, .376 on-base percentage and a .420 slugging percentage into the series.
- Taylor Darden and Thomas are leading the Cardinals' offense with a .323 and .317 batting average, respectively. Thomas has a team-leading 20 hits with 17 RBIs and 12 runs scored.
- Jordan McFarland holds a team-high three home runs and Flores has accounted for 18 RBIs.
- Michael McElmeel leads the pitching staff with a 2.31 ERA and a 2-0 overall record in six appearances. Johnny Foral has a 3.18 ERA and 1-1 record in 5 2/3 innings as Luis Martinez (3.52), Aaron Celestino (3.68) and Michael Garza (3.76) all have ERAs under four.
- Isaiah Zavala has a team-leading 3-0 record as Garza and McElmeel each have two wins credited to their names.
HISTORY vs. STEPHEN F. AUSTIN
- UIW is 7-7 all-time against SFA. The Cardinals are on a four-game win streak against the Lumberjacks, winning the last three-game series played on March 29-31, 2018, and adding a 9-2 win on March 3, 2020.
SCOUTING THE LUMBERJACKS (8-12, 6-6 SLC)
- SFA has won six of its last seven games and is on a five-game winning streak with a four-game series sweep over McNeese last weekend.
- Garrett Goetz and Adrian Minjares lead the Lumberjack offense hitting .333 and .316, respectively.
- Jacob Stobart, Joe Todd and Angelo Gennari all have pitched more than 20 innings this season.
- Easton Turnage leads the pitching staff with a 1.04 ERA. Lance Koch (1.23) and Benny Emmons III (1.93) all have ERAs below 2.00.
FAN INVOLVEMENT
Join Cardinals Club today! Email UIW Baseball Director of Operations, Maddy Jordan (majorda1@uiwtx.edu) for more information.
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.
Follow the team on Twitter and on Instagram @UIWbaseball.
