SAN ANTONIO – Ryan Flores went 2-for-4 with three RBIs, scoring all three of the University of the Incarnate Word baseball's runs on Sunday afternoon at Sullivan Field, sponsored by H-E-B, as the Cardinals defeated Houston Baptist, 3-2, and picked up a key Southland Conference series sweep with two weeks remaining in the regular season.
UIW pitching was on point again, as it has been all series, starting off with
Aaron Celestino throwing 5 1/3 innings with eight strikeouts and giving up just two HBU runs in the fourth and fifth inning.
Steve Hayward took over the next two innings and got the Cardinals out of a runner on second and third jam to end the fifth and preserve a 2-2 game.
Michael Garza picked up his second save of the weekend in his three appearances.
The Cardinals wasted no time with two runs in the bottom of the first inning.
Wilson Ehrhardt walked,
Grant Smith reached on an error and
Lee Thomas was hit by a pitch to quickly load the bases and Flores ripped a single to shallow right field. It was enough for Ehrhardt to score from third and Smith was right in on his heels sliding safely across home plate for the second run.
Celestino kept the Huskies' hitting at bay with just four hits through the first four innings and striking out five. HBU got on the board with a solo home run on the first pitch of the fifth inning and again in the sixth inning to tie it at two.
Flores came up big again in the bottom of the sixth with another single to right field that scored Smith who reached on a leadoff walk.
From there, Hayward and Garza allowed just two HBU runners on in the final three innings as the Cardinals were able to earn their first conference series sweep of the season. Garza's five saves this season tied him with
Cody Allen (2018) for ninth-most in a single season.
ON DECK
The Cardinals have a quick turnaround when they travel to Baylor on Tuesday night, May 11 for a 6:30 p.m. game before having the next weekend off. UIW completes its regular season with a Tuesday trip to UTSA on May 18 and a four-game home finale against Lamar starting on May 20.
FAN INVOLVEMENT
Join Cardinals Club today! Email UIW Baseball Director of Operations,
Maddy Jordan (majorda1@uiwtx.edu) for more information.
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