SAN ANTONIO – The University of the Incarnate Word baseball team scored 18 unanswered runs to defeat Prairie View A&M University, 18-2 in seven innings, on Tuesday at Sullivan Field, sponsored by H-E-B. The offense put up a whopping 18 runs on 15 hits to kick off the five-game week for the Red and Black. EJ Garcia (3-3) earned the win, pitching the final five innings out of the bullpen.
The Panthers started the scoring in the first, taking a 2-0 lead on a two-run homer. Later in the inning, Jake Weaver tied the game at 2-2 on a two-run double down the right field line. Two batters later, Tyler Cowan (1) smashed a two-run homer over the right field wall to take a 4-2 lead.
The Cardinals never looked back and began to pull away from the Panthers in the second. Rey Mendoza drew a walk with the bases loaded to extend the Cardinal lead. One batter later, Weaver was hit by a pitch to drive in a run. Tony DeJesus drove in the third run of the inning on a sacrifice fly to center. Ryder Hernandez singled in a run, bringing the score to 8-2 after playing two.
In the fourth, Thomas Lyssy singled in a run to extend UIW's lead to 9-2.
Weaver singled in a run and later scored on a passed ball to push the lead to 11-2 in entering the sixth.
UIW had its most productive inning at the plate in the sixth, putting up seven runs in the frame. Daniel Calabrese got the scoring started with a sacrifice fly to center. Rob Liddington Jr. hit his team-leading 11th homer of the season, and Weaver recorded his game-high fourth RBI on the day to extend the lead to 14-2. The Cardinals scored the game's final four runs on a bases-loaded HBP, a bases-loaded walk, and two passed balls, bringing the final score to 18-2.
Garcia came into relief in the third and pitched the final five innings, successfully keeping the Panthers off the board for the remainder of the game. He allowed just one hit and struck out three batters to earn the win.
UIW will host Tarleton State tomorrow afternoon at Sullivan Field, sponsored by H-E-B. First pitch is scheduled for 2:05 p.m.
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