The Heartland Conference

Looking to remain undefeated on the year and in Heartland Conference play, the UIW Cardinals had to hold off a late comeback attempt and come back from three-run deficit to beat Newman University in a doubleheader on Sunday, winning 6-3 and 5-4.

In game one, Incarnate Word (7-0 overall, 7-0 in the conference) broke open a 2-2 tie in the third inning, getting an RBI single from Reno Malay and then a two-run home run from Daniel Qualls to up the lead to 5-2.

The Cardinals added an insurance run in the fourth inning after Matt Roohan was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.

But Newman refused to go away and was able to load the bases in the sixth inning. With two outs, senior Alfredo Caballero took the mound and struck out the NU batter to end the threat.

Caballero earned his first save of the season, striking out two more batter and getting another to ground out in the seventh inning to give UIW the 6-3 victory.

Nathaniel Ramirez pitched five innings, striking out four Jets and giving up just one hit, for his first win of the season.

In game two, Incarnate Word found themselves trailing 4-1 after two innings- three of which coming in the second after an error – and unable to get anything going on offense until the fourth inning, when a line drive by Roohan dropped underneath Newman’s centerfielder. Malay was then walked and Qualls cracked a double to the warning track in center field for two RBIs.

Still, UIW trailed 4-3 going into the sixth inning when Roohan and Malay got on base with a single and a walk, respectively. Qualls then ripped a sacrifice fly to right field to get Roohan and Malay into scoring position. It was then that shortstop Matt Flores made amends for an error earlier in the game by ripping a single down the right field line that scored Roohan and Malay and gave the Cards a 5-4 lead.

From there, relief pitcher Ethan Lutz finished off the game, going two innings and striking out two Jets for his first win of the year.

Incarnate Word puts their undefeated record on the line Tuesday afternoon with a 2 p.m. game against Texas A&M-Kingsville.