SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Incarnate Word took control of a back-and-forth game with a five-run fourth inning and went on to defeat South Dakota State, 10-7, in the opening game of a three-game college baseball series Thursday afternoon at Daniel Sullivan Field.
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With the win, UIW evened its record at 1-1 on the young season. The Jackrabbits remained winless at 0-5.
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South Dakota State scored in three of its first four turns at the plate to build a 6-3 lead before the fateful bottom of the fourth inning. Derek Hackman hit the third of four consecutive one-out singles for SDSU in the bottom of the first inning to drive in Nic Nelson with the first run of the game, and Luke Ira scored the second run of the opening frame on a groundout by Dawson Parry to give the Jackrabbits an early 2-0 lead.
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UIW grabbed a momentary 3-2 lead with three runs in the home half of the second inning, but the Jackrabbits regained the lead with a three-run top of the third and added another run in the fourth. Hackman doubled in the first run of the three-run third with a double down the left-field line to score Ira. Jamie Berg later came through with a run-scoring two-out hit that plated Hackman, with Drew Beazley also scoring on the play due to an error.
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Hackman's third hit of the game, a single to left in the fourth inning, drove in Henry George for the fourth-inning run. Hackman tallied his fourth RBI of the game in the sixth inning on a sacrifice fly to account for the final Jackrabbit run. His four runs batted in tied a career high.
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UIW sent 10 batters to the plate in the fourth to move into the lead. Alec Carr knocked in the first run of the inning with an infield single to bring an end to SDSU starter Nic McCay's afternoon with the bases loaded. Roberto Gonzalez greeted reliever Jake Goble with a two-run single that tied the game and Hernan Yanez delivered the go-ahead run with a single through the left side. Ridge Rogers capped the scoring with a run-scoring single.
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Jimmy DeLeon, who was 3-for-5, notched a two-run single in the sixth inning to close out the scoring for the Cardinals.
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Hits were even at 14 apiece, with Rogers also going 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles for UIW. Hackman and Ira each collected three hits for the Jackrabbits, with Berg, Nelson and Jess Bellows each adding a pair of hits.
 Alex Clemons, the third pitcher of the afternoon for the Jackrabbits, tossed 2 1/3 scoreless innings, walking two and striking out one.
 UP NEXT
Update: Due to continued inclement weather in the forecast, the two teams are now scheduled to close out the series by playing a doubleheader Friday starting at 2 p.m.
 NOTES
UIW leads the all-time series, 3-0
The two programs met for the first time since the 1991 season
Hackman also drove in four runs in a March 20, 2021, win at Omaha
Hackman raised his season batting average to .467 (7-for-15) with eight RBIs
Hackman, Nelson and George have reached base safely in all five games this season
SDSU's 14 hits were the most in a game since recording 16 in a loss to North Dakota State on April 24, 2021 (second game of doubleheader)