SAN ANTONIO – HBU exploded for six runs in the top of the fifth inning, then junior shortstop
Louie Payetta's three-run home run in the seventh allowed the Huskies to run-rule Incarnate Word, 12-1 in seven innings, in the Southland Conference baseball series finale Sunday afternoon at Sullivan Field.
Seven of the Huskies' starters recorded multiple hits, as they tied their season high with 17 hits. Payetta was 2-for-5 with a home run, four RBIs and a pair of runs, while senior rightfielder
Thomas Clay was 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs. Senior centerfielder
Zach Nehrir went 3-for-5, recorded his league-leading fourth triple, and scored twice, while junior first baseman
Andrew Alvarez went 2-for-4 with a double, a triple and a run. Senior pitcher
Curtis Jones had two hits, including a double, senior catcher
Samm Wiggins singled twice and junior second baseman
Greg Espinosa had two singles and two RBIs.
Jones (2-3) earned the win for the Huskies (15-12, 6-3 SLC), allowing one run on six hits with three strikeouts in six innings.
Braden Martin went 2-for-4 with a double and a run for the Cardinals (10-16, 2-7), while Tanner Wall went 2-for-3.
Brandon Anderson (1-3) took the loss for UIW, giving up three runs, two earned, on seven hits in four and one-third innings. The Cardinals used seven pitchers total in the game.
The Huskies got on the board first with a run in the third. Clay led off the inning with a single to center. He then stole second, but the throw hit the bag, caromed into leftfield, allowing Clay to come all the way around to score. HBU tacked on another in the fourth when Alvarez doubled and Espinosa drove him in with single.
In the fifth, Nehrir tripled to the gap in rightcenter and Payetta followed with an RBI single. Jones doubled down the rightfield line to drive in Payetta, then scored on Wiggins' RBI single. Espinosa added an RBI single, then Clay's two run single made the score, 8-0.
The Cardinals scored their run in the bottom of the inning when Martin led off with a double and Jesse Hoover drove him in with a single to right.
Jones was hit by a pitch with one out in the fifth and later scored on a single to center by Morones.
Clay and Nehrir led off the seventh with back-to-back singles, then Payetta unloaded a three-run shot to right to put the Huskies ahead, 12-1.
HBU returns to action when it hosts Abilene Christian in a three-game Southland Conference series Thursday, Friday and Saturday at Husky Field.
