Box Score STEPHENVILLE, Texas – Matt Buckmaster pitched a complete game five-hitter and Alvaro Moreno hit a grand slam to guide the No. 28-ranked Tarleton Texans to an 11-1 run-rule victory over Incarnate Word at Cecil Ballow Baseball Complex in Stephenville on Friday.
 
The Texans (21-10-1, 10-3 LSC) were up 2-1 in the bottom of the fourth inning before Moreno blasted his first grand slam – fifth home run overall – on the season. The Texans then tallied three more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to go up by 10 runs on the Cardinals (20-12, 6-7 LSC).
 
Buckmaster (5-2) picked up his fifth win of the season giving up just the one run in his full seven innings of work. He struck out five batters and Tarleton's defense managed to turn three double-plays behind him. For Buckmaster, it was his fourth complete-game of the season.
 
Tarleton opened the game with a run in the first inning on Ryan Small's run-scoring single up the middle. Noah Ringenberger reached base earlier in the inning on an error and came around to score on Small's run batted in.
 
The Texans went up 2-0 in the bottom half of the second inning when Fola Lajide was hit by a pitch and came all the way around to score following a pair of stolen bases and then a throwing error by the UIW catcher.
 
UIW drove in its only run of the game in the top of the third inning on a Lucs Miller RBI-single. Tarleton was unable to score in the bottom of the third inning, but then broke the game wide open with Moreno's grand slam in the Texan fourth.
 
Rustin Thomas, who ranked 10^th in the nation in triples, led off the Texan fifth inning with a triple and then he scored on an RBI-single to left field from Lajide. Jared Musgrove was hit by a pitch and both runners advanced a base on a double steal. Nico Moran drove in Lajide on his single to right field and later Musgrove scored on a sacrifice fly from Ringenberger, which gave Tarleton the 10-run lead.
 
Buckmaster gave up a single and a walk in the final two innings but he got UIW's Blake Woosley to strikeout for the game's final out.
 
UIW's Geno Encina (5-5) was saddled with the loss for the Cardinals. He gave up two runs on three hits and had a strikeout. Dylan Boss was tagged for six runs on just four hits in his only inning of work.
 
Four Tarleton players were hit by a pitch in the game, giving them a total of 82 beaned batters on the season. They came into the week leading the nation that category.
 
Thomas and Small each led the Texans with two hits on the day, while Moreno's four RBI were a team high as well. Lajide had three stolen bases in the game and now has 12 on the season.
 
The Texans and Cardinals will resume the Lone Star Conference series on Saturday with a doubleheader scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. Miguel Ramirez (4-1) is scheduled to take the mound for the Texans in game one.
 
The Tarleton Athletics department will host a hot dog cookout for all fans in attendance before game one. Hot dogs and free t-shirts will be provided beginning at noon at Cecil Ballow Baseball Complex.