SAN ANTONIO, TX. – Following a lengthy rain delay, the Lincoln University baseball team finally took the field for the first time in 2010 and stayed with Incarnate Word throughout, but in the end the Cardinals held on for the 5-3 Heartland Conference victory Monday evening.
Lincoln had a threat right away in the first inning, as after Incarnate Word starting pitcher Kirk Jewasko retired the first two Blue Tigers, he promptly loaded the bases without Lincoln recording a hit, including two hit-by-pitches and a walk, but the left-hander locked down to retire Kyle Lasley via a strikeout to end the threat.
The Cardinals struck first in the bottom of the second inning, as Josiah Rodriguez was hit-by-pitch with the bases loaded to force in the first run of the game.
The Blue Tigers countered in the top half of the third, as the first three batters reached with Adam Rush leading off the frame with a single to center, Gus Durst followed with a double to left and Brian Patrick was hit-by-pitch to load the bases. Cie Arell delivered, as he hit a sacrifice fly to left field scoring Rush to tie the game.
But, right as the Blue Tigers drew even, Incarnate Word jumped right back on top in the bottom of the third tallying a pair of runs, as Matt Flores drilled a two-run single to center to give the Cards the 3-1 lead.
After Incarnate Word tacked on another run in the fourth, it would remain a 4-1 game into the seventh when the Blue Tigers threatened and delivered.
Chris Pfau led off the top of the seventh with a single to center and after the next two batters recorded outs, Patrick walked advancing Pfau to second, both then advanced on a wild pitch and later moved up again on an error at second on a ball hit by Arell, allowing Pfau to score and moved Patrick to third. A passed ball then allowed Patrick to score trimming the lead to one, 4-3. With the tying run out at second, a big strikeout kept the Cards ahead.
After Incarnate Word added another run in the bottom of the seventh to push their lead back to two, Lincoln wouldn’t threaten again, as a James Johndrow walk in the eighth would be the only Blue Tiger to reach base in the final two innings.
Jewasko recorded the win for Incarnate Word, lasting five innings, while Ethan Lutz tallied the save pitching the final four innings in relief, allowing just two runs, both unearned.
Dustin Bess pitched well for the Blue Tigers, as he lasted five innings, giving up four earned runs to take the loss. Darren Lasley pitched the final three innings, giving up just one earned run.
Lincoln tallied just four hits, with Arell tallying the lone RBI that came on the sacrifice fly.
Lincoln and Incarnate Word will look to get two games in Tuesday afternoon with the first pitch set for 1 p.m. Fans will be able to follow the action through Incarnate Word’s live stats at the link below
Incarnate Word 5, Lincoln 3 (Feb 2, 2010 at San Antonio, TX) (Game 1)
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Lincoln............. 001 000 200 - 3 4 0 (0-1, 0-1)
Incarnate Word...... 012 100 10X - 5 6 4 (1-0, 1-0)
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Pitchers: Lincoln - Bess, Dustin; Lasley, Darren(6) and Garza, Steve. Incarnate Word - Jewasko;
Lutz(6) and Rodriguez.
Win-Jewasko(1-0) Save-Lutz(1) Loss-Bess, Dustin(0-1) T-2:40 A-223
Weather: Cold and wet