'Jacks' Bats Go Cold in 8-1 Southland Setback to Incarnate Word

Thursday, March 29

Nacogdoches, Texas

6:30 p.m.

Stephen F. Austin

9-16, 0

Incarnate Word

17-11, 0

Incarnate Word

Stephen F. Austin

Photo by: Hardy Meredith | SFA Photography

'Jacks' Bats Go Cold in 8-1 Southland Setback to Incarnate Word

3/29/2018 10:45:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

SFA pitchers walk nine, hit three in seven-run loss

By: Charlie Hurley | Director of Athletic Media Relations

NACOGDOCHES, Texas - A dominant outing by Incarnate Word starting pitcher Tyler Miller coupled with control issues by Stephen F. Austin's own pitching staff made Thursday night's series opener for the 'Jacks against the Cardinals a difficult one as SFA fell 8-1 to Incarnate Word at Jaycees Field.

Miller stymied the 'Jacks' bats by striking out nine in eight innings while SFA's five-man pitching staff walked nine and hit another three batters to surrender a total of 12 free bases in the loss which snapped its five-game winning streak. SFA mustered only five hits on the night and even though the Cardinals racked up just seven the 9-0 advantage in walks held by the visitors represented a major factor of the game that the hosts could not match.

The six walks issued by SFA starting pitcher Jake Norton proved to be the catalyst of Incarnate Word's offense. Following a single up the middle to start the game by the Cardinals' Mark Whitehead, Norton issued a trio of walks that helped the visitors push the game's first run across home plate.

Incarnate Word added to its lead before the opening third of the game was in the books, too. Norton's sixth and final walk of the night started the Cardinals' third and preceded a double to the gap in right-center off the stick of Lee Thomas that signaled the conclusion of Norton's outing.

Freshman Dru Dziedzic took the reins from Norton at that point but before the lefty was able to get out of the third Ridge Rogers and Ryan Gonzalez came up with RBI singles which increased the Cardinals' lead to 3-0.

Those three runs went on to represent an insurmountable lead for the Cardinals. For the first four innings, SFA struggled to get any semblance of offense going against Miller as singles by Jared Martin in the first and Skylar Black in the fourth represented the 'Jacks' only two hits.

Finally in the fifth, SFA was able to break through for its lone run of the game. With two outs in the frame, Nic Minor reached first after getting hit by a 1-1 offering from Miller. After the junior swiped second, Daley sent a sharp single to UIW's second baseman which ricocheted off of his glove and into center which allowed Minor to score.

Taking a cue from Minor, Daley stole second base during Jake Georgiades' at-bat before Georgiades pushed Daley to third with an infield single. The 'Jacks were unable to keep the line moving, however, as Martin popped up to end the inning.

Although Dziedzic managed to hold the Cardinals at bay for another another 1.2 innings, the visitors knockout blow came in their five-run eighth. Even though Incarnate Word registered just a single hit in the eighth, two walks, two hit by pitches, SFA's second error of the night and a sacrifice fly helped the Cardinals put a crooked number on the board.

Josh Ponder walked a batter and hit another before giving the ball to junior left-hander Cody Adams. SFA's second pitcher of the frame got the first two UIW batters he faced to hit ground balls, but one was throw away which allowed one run to score and the other scored an additional run to put the 'Jacks at a 5-1 disadvantage.

Adams hit a batter and walked another UIW batter to load the bases, prompting another pitching change by the 'Jacks. Logan Ammons came on with one out but was greeted with a two-run double off the bat of Ryan Gonzalez which upped the Cardinals' lead to 7-1. Ryan Flores closed out the Cardinals' five-run inning with a sacrifice fly before Ammons finally ended the eight with another fly ball out.

Black's leadoff single in the ninth represented the 'Jacks' fifth and final hit of the night.

Daley finished the night with a pair of stolen bases, pushing his team-leading total to 14, while Minor swiped one bag. Gonzalez racked up three of the Cardinals' seven RBI and was one of two UIW players who posted a pair of hits. Rodgers ended the night with another two RBI for Incarnate Word.

Friday evening, the 'Jacks will try to begin a new winning streak when they face off against the Cardinals in the middle game of the three-game set. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. and SFA will send freshman Sean Beasley to the pitcher's mound.

-SFA-