SAN ANTONIO, Texas – The Privateers and Cardinals were tied at 2-2 until a three-run seventh allowed the University of the Incarnate Word (19-10, 8-4 Southland) to sweep the University of New Orleans (14-13, 3-9 Southland) 5-2 Sunday at Sullivan Field sponsored by H-E-B.
Gaige Howard went 2-for-3 for the Privateers and
Steven Swift tossed 5.0 innings in the no-decision.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Swift and John Shull matched scoreless frames through three at Sullivan Field. Swift was efficient with three strikeouts and 39 pitches after 1/3 of Sunday's ballgame.
Salo Iza made a great play on a high chopper to throw out Ryan Flores on the run in the second.
Iza reached on an error and successfully swiped second for his sixth stolen base in as many tries. However, Shull was able to strand the runner to get out of the third.
After a hit by pitch put a runner on for UIW in the third, the Cardinals moved Ridge Rogers into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt, but Swift struck out Sean Arnold and forced Eddy Gonzalez to ground out to Iza for the final out of the inning.
In the fourth,
Gaige Howard went opposite field for his sixth double of 2019.
Tresten Kennard looked for an infield single with a grounder, but a smart play by Ryan Gonzalez as the UIW shortstop made the only play it could to get
Gaige Howard at third.
A leadoff walk in the fourth allowed UIW to strike first as Antonio Valdez stole second and scored on a two-out double by Ryan Gonzalez. Gonzalez took advantage to stretch a single to a double.
Beau Bratton drew a leadoff walk to begin the fifth and came around to score on a double by Iza in the left-center gap. Two batters later,
Darren Willis ripped a single past a diving Ryan Gonzalez to put UNO in front 2-1.
Rogers' leadoff double in the bottom of the fifth put the tying run in scoring position for the Cardinals. After getting Shea Gutierrez to groundout to
Antonio Gauthier Jr., a wild pitch moved Rogers to third and the outfielder scored on a groundout to tie the game at 2-2.
Shull's day was complete after five innings. The right-hander allowed four hits and struck out six in the no-decision.
Gaige Howard ripped a single off Cody Allen in the sixth, but the Cardinals turned a 6-4-3 double play to end the top half of the frame.
Swift's day was complete after the five frames and the freshman punched out four and allowed just four hits in the 5.0 innings of work.
Bailey Holstein was summoned from the 'pen and made quick work early in the sixth, retiring the first two hitters on four pitches. After a two-out walk, Holstein regrouped to induce a groundout for the final out of the sixth.
Johnny Foral entered the game in the seventh with a bevy of left-handers due up for UNO. Allen tossed a scoreless sixth for the Cardinals.
A two-out walk to Iza and a chopped double past the first baseman by
Collin Morrill put runners in scoring position and forced another pitching change for UIW as right-hander Aaron Celestino entered from the 'pen.
Rogers began the bottom of the seventh with a double and Gutierrez popped a bunt up, but an UNO error allowed the at-bat to continue. Holstein got Gutierrez to chase for the first out of the inning and in came
Reeves Martin to look to strand the runner.
Holstein allowed one hit in 1.1 and but was on the hook after Arnold's RBI double.
Two quick strikes by Martin put Arnold in defense mode and a pitch in the dirt looked to get Rogers leaning at second, but Rogers was able to get back. Arnold legged out a double on the ensuing pitch to put UIW in front 3-2.
A 10-pitch at-bat by Eddy Gonzalez ended with a double to extend the Cardinal lead to two. Back-to-back UIW base hits followed to make it 5-2.
Cortlynn Ramirez got two quick outs, and an UNO error allowed the inning to continue. Ramirez induced a grounder to end the eighth.
Bernie Martinez shut the door with a six-out save to give UIW a 5-2 win over UNO Sunday.
WIN-LOSS RECORD
Celestino (5-2) was credited with the win after throwing just two pitches in relief. Martinez earned his second save of the series and fourth of the season with 2.0 shutout. Holstein (1-1) was charged with the loss after UIW scored the go-ahead run in the seventh. The right-hander struck out a batter in 1.1.
NEXT UP
The defense of the Pelican Cup begins Tuesday at home in the first of five home games next week. The Privateers welcome Tulane University Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. on "Two for Tuesday" at Maestri Field.
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