SAN ANTONIO - The University of the Incarnate Word baseball team capped off the 2023 season with a 28-26 record, going 14-10 in conference play and 16-10 at Sullivan Field, sponsored by H-E-B.
The Cardinals earned big wins throughout the season, finishing with six walk-offs, including a walk-off three-run homer against No.24 UTSA. In SLC play, UIW won its first four series against HCU, Southeastern Louisiana, Nicholls, and Lamar, picking up two wins against each of them. After their first conference series loss, the Cardinals took their series against McNeese State at home 2-1 and finished the regular season in Corpus Christi with a 2-1 series win over the Islanders.
UIW entered the Southland Conference Tournament as the second seed, the highest seed since becoming Division I. In game one, the Cardinals fell short to No. 5 Northwestern State 2-1 despite an incredible pitching performance from senior Kayden Cassidy. Following the loss, the Cardinals took on the host team, No. 6 McNeese State, in game two. Despite another great pitching performance led by SLC Reliever of the Year Steve Hayward, the Cardinals were eliminated following a 3-0 defeat.
Team Season Rankings
*All records are Division I records.
The 2023 UIW baseball team ended the season with the most stolen bases (74) and most saves (12) in UIW history. The 2023 Cardinals finished in the top three in slugging percentage (.428), runs scored (354), hits (530), home runs (53), RBIs (325), strikeouts (418), lowest opponent batting average (.269), wins (28), and fielding percentage (.970) for a single season.
Cardinals in the Record Books
*All records are Division I records.
- Steve Hayward, a first-team all-conference selection and SLC Reliever of the Year, finished his career at UIW with the lowest opponent batting average (.213) and with the most strikeouts/9 innings (12.82) in Cardinals history. Hayward also finished second in saves (10) and games finished (39). Lastly, Hayward finished with the third-lowest ERA (4.02).
- Rey Mendoza, a first-team all-conference selection and SLC Newcomer of the Year, broke the record for most RBIs (61) in a single season by a Cardinal. Mendoza also finished fourth in runs scored (48) and fifth in home runs (11) in a single season.
- Utility, Alec Carr, a first-team all-conference selection and all-defensive team selection, is second in home runs (20) and in slugging percentage (.521) in Cardinals history. Carr is also second in triples (5) and home runs (12) in a single season.
- Second-team all-conference selection Hernan Yanez is first in the Cardinal career record book for runners caught stealing (33). Yanez is also fifth in doubles (14) in a single season.
- Senior Jimmy De Leon, an all-defensive team selection, is second in the Cardinal career record book in batting average (.333) and on-base percentage (.433). De Leon is also third in slugging percentage (.485).
FOLLOW ALONG
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