SAN ANTONIO – The Texas State baseball team's (12-9) bats were stifled by Incarnate Word's (12-9) pitchers throughout the night on Tuesday in a 6-1 defeat at Sullivan Field.
 
Picking up the win was Tyler Miller (3-3) after throwing two scoreless innings with a game-high three strikeouts. Garrett Herrmann (2-1) suffered his first loss of the season after giving up five runs on six hits and striking out one.
 
Will Hollis paced the Bobcats with a 2-for-3 night at the plate to extend his reached base streak to 15 games. Also recording a hit were Skyler Valentine, a single, and Jaxon Williamson, a home run.
 
Both Kyle Bradford and Anthony Pagano threw 1.2 innings out of the bullpen. Pagano did not allow a baserunner in his time on the mound while Bradford gave up a run and two hits with a strikeout. Brent Hebert tossed 1.1 innings and struck out two.
 
UIW tallied the first run of the game when Ridge Rogers singled to center field that plated Ryan Flores.
 
The deficit was quickly erased when Williams sent the first pitch he saw with one out in the top of the fourth over the left center field fence for a solo home run.
 
In the bottom half of the inning, the Cardinals loaded the bases on two singles and a walk. The next three batters all singled to bring home four runs in total. Hollis prevented any more damage by making a sliding catch and then throwing a runner out at second.
 
UIW extended its lead in the fifth a sacrifice fly by Jordan Gonzalez to put the home team ahead 6-1.
 
The Cardinals threatened again in the seventh after getting runners on the corners with one gone. Pagano was able to induce a ground ball to Cole Coffey at first, who threw to second to Dalton Shuffield and he went back to Coffey at first for a double play.
 
With two outs in the ninth, Hollis singled to right field and Valentine followed with a chopper over the third baseman for an infield single. A passed ball allowed both runners to move into scoring position. Coffey was then issued a free pass to load the bases. The chance for a rally was ended with a grounder back to the pitcher, who flipped to first for the final out.
 
This weekend the Bobcats host their first Sun Belt Conference series of the season when ULM comes to town. The opener takes place at 6 p.m. Friday night at Bobcat Ballpark.
 
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