NEW ORLEANS, La. – Six Cardinals tallied multiple hits to lead the University of the Incarnate Word to a 13-1 Southland Conference win over the University of New Orleans on the road this afternoon. With the win, the Cardinals pick up their first conference series win of the 2026 campaign and extend their win streak to three.

The Cardinals are now 11-8 and 4-4 in the conference, while the Privateers fall to 8-12 and 2-6. UIW is now 6-5 when playing at New Orleans against the Privateers.

UIW took an early 3-0 lead in the top of the second when Tyler Garritano singled up the middle and then moved to second when Drake Anderson reached first on a throwing error by the pitcher off a bunt.  Both runners later moved up 90 feet when Ryder Hernandez dropped a sacrifice bunt back to the pitcher. Now with one down, Garritano was the first Cardinal of the day to touch home when he scored off Trent Rucker's RBI sacrifice fly to left to make it 1-0. Preston Newberry kept the inning going when he drove in Anderson with a single that made its way through the left side to push the lead to 2-0.  Newberry then scored to make it 3-0 off an error by the first baseman when Cole Tabor singled before the inning ended.

The Privateers in their half of the second drove in a run off a fielder's choice to cut the lead to 3-1.

Both teams went scoreless for the next two innings, and then in the top of the fifth, the Cardinals plated five runs on five hits. It started when Tony DeJesus and Jake Weaver hit back-to-back singles to put runners on first and second. DeJesus came around to score when Colin Cymbalista singled through the left side to make it 4-1. Weaver was able to go from first to third on the play.  UIW's three straight hits forced New Orleans to make the call to the bullpen with no outs.  Garritano kept things rolling with an RBI single of his own to score Weaver to push the lead to 5-1 and second Cymbalista to second.

Still with no outs in the fifth, Cardinal Drake Anderson singled to center that scored Cymbalista, but a fielding error by the centerfielder allowed Garritano to score as well. Anderson was able to reach third on the play.

 Following a groundout, Trent Rucker reached first after being hit to put runners on the corners.  Anderson later scored off Newberry's RBI sacrifice fly to left to push the lead to 8-1 before the inning ended.

The Cardinals started the top of the eighth off with a walk from DeJesus, who later moved to second on a passed ball.  He later scored off Weaver's RBI double to deep center field. Cymbalista then walked on five pitches to put runners on first and second. An error by the pitcher loaded the bases full of Cardinals, and a sacrifice fly in foul territory on the third base side allowed Weaver to score.

In the top of the ninth, Cole Tabor leadoff the inning with a home run to right field to make it 11-1.  With one down now, Weaver walked and later scored off Cymbalista's two-run home run to deep left field to push the lead to 13-1 before the inning ended.

The Cardinal bullpen pitched three scoreless innings, while striking out three to secure the victory.

Starting pitcher Hayden Capers scattered four hits and a run over six innings of work to pick up the win (1-0). He fanned three in the process.

Weaver led UIW in hits, going 3-for-5 at the plate with three runs scored, an RBI, and a double.

Newberry, Tabor, and DeJesus combined to go 5-for-15 with four runs scored, three RBIs, and a home run. Teammate Cymbalista finished the day going 2-for-3 with three RBIs, two runs scored, and a home run.

Garritano and Anderson each had two hits and a pair of runs scored.

The Cardinals look to go for the series sweep against New Orleans tomorrow at 1 p.m. The game can be seen on ESPN+.