HOUSTON, Texas – The University of the Incarnate Word baseball team was edged out 11-10 on the road to conference rival Houston Christian University this afternoon. The Cardinals drop the weekend series 2-1 to the Huskies to open conference action.

UIW falls to 7-5 on the season and 1-2 in the Southland Conference, while HCU improves to 6-6 and 2-1.

With the game tied at one after three, UIW in the top of the fourth retook the lead when Colin Cymbalista parked a 346-foot home run down the left field line to make it 2-1. The Cardinals kept things moving with back-to-back singles from Jake Weaver and Tony DeJesus.  Ayden Alsobrooks dropped a bunt down to reach first on a throwing error by the third baseman. The error allowed Weaver to score to make it 3-1 and send DeJesus from first to third. Alsobrooks moved up to second on the play.

With runners in scoring position, HCU was able to record its first out of the inning, but a two-run single to right from Thomas Lyssy scored both DeJesus and Alsobrooks to make it 5-1.  Lyssy later moved to second when Trent Rucker walked on six pitches. The Cardinals continued the scoring when Lyssy scored off Preston Newberry's RBI single to right to push the lead to 6-1. Rucker was able to go from first to third; he later scored off of Cole Tabor's RBI sacrifice bunt to the pitcher before the inning ended.

HCU was able to get one of the runs back in its half of the fourth to make it 7-2, but the Cardinals added a pair of runs in the top of the sixth to push the lead to 9-2.

The Huskies in the bottom of the seventh cut the lead to two when they plated five runs on seven hits to trail 9-7.

UIW in the eighth had two on and two out when Alsobrooks singled through the left side to score Tabor to make it 10-7.

HCU rallied in the bottom of the ninth when it scored four runs on three hits to come back to win 11-10.

Cardinal starter EJ Garcia went six innings, allowing six hits, four runs (three earned), and four strikeouts.

Reliever Fawster Voytko took the loss to fall to 1-1 on the season. He allowed a run on one hit in a third of an inning.

Newberry, Weaver, DeJesus, and Rucker all finished the day with two hits each.

Rucker, Tabor, and Lyssy each scored two runs apiece.

UIW is back on the road Tuesday, March 3, when it travels to College Station to face Texas A&M University at 4 p.m. The game can be seen on SEC Network+.