SAN ANTONIO – The University of the Incarnate Word baseball team dropped a pair of games to open the series against Lamar on Friday, May 20 at Sullivan Field, sponsored by H-E-B. The visiting Cardinals won, 7-0, in game one before taking a 13-4 win in the nightcap. 

Lamar (24-20, 16-18 SLC) claimed game one behind a complete-game effort by Trevin Michael on the mound. UIW was able to get two hits on the board by Chance Medina in the bottom of the fifth inning and Lee Thomas squared up a double to center field to lead off the seventh inning. 

Lamar got out to a hot start with five runs in the top of the first inning of the second game before UIW chipped away with two in the bottom half and a run each in the second and third innings to get within one. 

Thomas sparked a two-out rally in the first with a single to right field and Jordan McFarland followed that up with a single to left field. Ryan Flores hit a comebacker that ricocheted off the feet of the Lamar pitcher who rushed the throw that sailed over the first baseman's head to score both Thomas and McFarland to cut into the Lamar lead, 5-2. 

UIW (20-27, 16-22 SLC) had some more two-out magic in the second inning as Ridge Rogers and Trent Koerner reached base on walks. With two outs in the inning, Grant Smith singled back up the middle to score Rogers from second and get the Cardinals within two. The red and black plated another run in the third inning as McFarland started with a single and scooted around the bases on a wild pitch and passed ball before scoring on a Medina grounder to shortstop as UIW cut the game to one run, 5-4. 

After quiet fourth and fifth innings, Lamar stretched its lead with four runs in each of the sixth and seventh innings for the 13-4 win. 

McFarland led the UIW offense in the nightcap, going 3-for-4 and scoring twice. Smith added two hits as Ehrhardt, Thomas, and Kendall Achilles each added a hit. 

ON DECK   
UIW and Lamar regroup for a Friday 1 p.m. start, with Senior Day activities to follow. The Cardinals cap the regular season with a 1 p.m. first pitch on Saturday with the final two spots remaining to clinch a spot in the Southland Baseball Tournament. 

FOLLOW ALONG    
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