Box Score SAN ANTONIO – Lee Thomas, Jordan McFarland and Grant Smith each hit home runs in the University of the Incarnate Word baseball team's 12-1, eight-inning win against Prairie View A&M on Tuesday night, in non-conference action at Sullivan Field, sponsored by H-E-B.
Thomas went 2-for-4 with a pair of home runs moving him into a tie for sixth all-time in UIW history (24). McFarland went 2-for-3 with a home run, two runs scored, and two RBIs, while Smith got ahold of his second home run of the season with a three-run walk-off in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Freshmen Jaren Warwick and Cole Beddingfield combined to throw 11 strikeouts and allowed just three Panther hits on the night as the Cardinals bounced back into the win column to set up for the weekend showdown at McNeese.
UIW (12-11, 8-8 SLC) got its offense going early with three runs in the bottom of the second inning. Ryan Flores and Noah Brewer got on base with back-to-back singles and a walk by Wilson Ehrhardt loaded the bases. Flores later scored on a passed ball and Smith knocked in Brewer with an RBI single. Smith scored on a sac fly off the bat of Trent Koerner for the 3-0 lead.
Thomas hit his first home run, a two-run shot over the right-field fence after McFarland doubled down the left-field line and the Cardinals found themselves up 5-1 after three innings.
In the fourth inning, Smith singled up the middle and later scored on a bunt single by Etzel before McFarland and Thomas went back-to-back with straight away centerfield home runs. The red and black scored four runs in the inning and held a 9-1 advantage.
After quiet fifth, sixth and seventh innings by both teams, Beddingfield made quick work of Prairie View (3-12 overall) in the top of the eighth inning with two strikeouts and a groundout. The bottom half of the inning started with a walk by Drew Minter and a double down the left-field line by Taylor Darden to set up Smith's walk-off with no outs.
ON DECK
The Cardinals are back on the road with a trip to McNeese in Southland Conference action starting Friday, April 9, at 6:30 p.m. (CT).
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