AUSTIN – University of the Incarnate Word baseball had the third-ranked Texas Longhorns on the ropes before the home team pushed across two runs late in the game for a 5-3 Longhorn win on Tuesday night, April 27, at UFCU Dish-Falk Field.

UIW and Texas each scored two runs in the first inning and one in the second for a 3-3 tie where the game stood until Texas broke through with a run across in both of the sixth and seventh innings.

In the first inning, the Cardinals quickly jumped out to the 2-0 lead off the bat of Lee Thomas who rocketed a two-run home run over the left field wall on the first pitch he saw. Also scoring on the play was Grant Smith who singled just before Thomas.

Texas responded with two runs of its own in the bottom half of the first inning.

UIW and Texas again traded one run each in the second inning before both pitchers settled into the evening. Ryan Flores started the second inning reaching on an error and Taylor Darden pushed Flores to second on a walk before Trent Koerner was able to score Flores from second with a solid RBI single to center field as the Cardinals went up 3-2 on the Longhorns.

After Texas retied the game in the second inning and Texas loaded the bases in the third, Aaron Celestino came in to relieve Carson Rollins. When it looked like Texas was going to break the game open, Celestino jammed Trey Faltine to fly out and ended the Longhorn threat.

Celestino again found himself in a jam with runners on the corner and no outs in the fourth inning before Koerner gunned down Mitchell Daly who tried stealing second base, and two more quick outs kept Texas off the board and the score tied at three.

Texas broke the tie game with a run in the sixth and seventh innings as Mike Antico drew a leadoff walk and later scored on a Zach Zubia RBI single. Antico again struck in the seventh with an RBI sac fly to score Eric Kennedy who reached on a bunt single as the Longhorns turned to some small ball to manufacture an insurance run.

UIW (14-23, 10-18 SLC) had a couple of two-out rally chances in the top of the seventh and eighth innings getting runners on base but timely pitching from the Texas bullpen was able to hold off the Cardinals' rally.

ON DECK  
The Cardinals are back in Southland Conference action with a trip to Nicholls for a four-game weekend series starting at 6:30 p.m., Friday night.   

FAN INVOLVEMENT  
Join Cardinals Club today! Email UIW Baseball Director of Operations, Maddy Jordan (majorda1@uiwtx.edu) for more information.      

FOLLOW ALONG  
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